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Where are the Statesmen?
Townhall.com ^ | September 3, 2013 | Michael Brown

Posted on 09/03/2013 7:16:41 AM PDT by Kaslin

While reading a book about Winston Churchill framed in his own words, I was struck by the vast difference between his leadership and our contemporary crop of leaders here in America. Where are the statesmen among us?

When President John F. Kennedy made Churchill an honorary American citizen in April, 1963, Kennedy said of him, “In the dark days and darker nights when Britain stood alone -- and most men save Englishmen despaired of England’s life -- he mobilized the English language and sent it into battle. The incandescent quality of his words illuminated the courage of his countrymen.”

Contrast that with today’s Twitter style of superficial, sound-bite leadership, where even the President of the United States, rather than mobilizing the English language and sending it into battle, tweets out meaningless slogans like “Love is love” (this in defense of same-sex “marriage”), thereby lowering himself to the level of the masses that he is supposed to lead and call higher.

Speaking of Churchill, the great British historian noted that, “Throughout his six decades in the public eye and in public life, he understood and wielded the power of words. . . . Churchill used words for different purposes: to argue for moral and political causes, to advocate courses of action in the social, national and international spheres, and to tell the story of his own life and that of Britain and its place in the world.”

Who among our current national leaders – in particular in the political sphere – is in the same universe as Churchill? Who among them is utilizing the power of words to inspire the populace, to build a vision of the future by telling the story of the past, to raise a standard of moral excellence? Can you name one?

Who among our current national leaders even has memorable quotes – quotes that will stand the test of the generations – like some of Churchill’s classic axioms, including, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” And, “In war, resolution; in defeat, defiance; in victory, magnanimity.” And, perhaps his best known words, “Never give in–never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

Contrast this with the current administration’s waffling over Syria, making America appear to the world like a paper tiger, and the glaring lack of senior statesmen in our midst becomes all the more clear.

And on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, the contrast between Dr. King’s leadership (despite his personal moral failures) and the current generation of Civil Rights leaders is immense.

Compare some of King’s most memorable words, still ringing true and still piercing the conscience more than half a century after his death, with the words of his best-known successors, like Rev. Al Sharpton.

For example, from Dr. King: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” And, “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” And, “Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.” And, “Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.”

Then, from Rev. Sharpton, in conjunction with the recent festivities honoring Dr. King’s 1963 speech: “We must give us our young people dreams again. You build jails, closed schools and break their dream and you wonder why they are wearing saggy pants.” Come again?

We have even lost our ability to speak to the nations with moral authority, to the point that a grizzled veteran like Senator John McCain, marked for life by the torture he experienced as a POW, had this to say with regard to the conflict in Syria, “Get the right weapons to the right people and we can turn this around and uh it is not that difficult. These are good people, I was in Syria with them and to say that we can't get the right weapons to the right people frankly is a cop out.”

Yes, by “good people,” Senator McCain is referring to the Al-Qaeda backed “freedom fighters,” also responsible for committing atrocities against Syria’s Christian population. And while it is true that the situation in Syria is terribly muddled, our own stance is equally muddled (not to mention our stance concerning Egypt). Where is our moral clarity?

Where are the statesmen like President Ronald Reagan, who transcended his cheap Hollywood background and became the leader who stood up to the Soviet Union?

Speaking in June, 1987 by the Brandenburg Gate near the Berlin Wall, he declared, “There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Not long after, the wall came tumbling down.

Our nation will not rise beyond its leaders, and if we are to recover our greatness, we must pray for men and women of courage and conviction to arise, people savvy enough to reach our shallow, contemporary culture but deep enough to bring a transcendent message that will inspire.

It’s a tall order, but it’s possible. More importantly, it’s imperative.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: leadership; obama; ronaldreagan; winstonchurchill
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1 posted on 09/03/2013 7:16:41 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

She’s in Alaska.


2 posted on 09/03/2013 7:17:17 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (21st century. I'm not a fan.)
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To: Kaslin

3 posted on 09/03/2013 7:17:53 AM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
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To: BenLurkin

I’ve seen that photo many times. Is it real or photoshopped? If real, what on earth is McCain doing at that moment?


4 posted on 09/03/2013 7:22:41 AM PDT by ilgipper (Obama is proving that very bad ideas can be wrapped up in pretty words)
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To: Kaslin
I'm convinced that do-no-gooders actively seek out conservative leaders in early career phases for character assassination. Sarah Palin is only one example. If not that, they will try bribery, coercion or anything to turn them. Jesse Jackson was pro-life. Trent Lott was character assassinated over a remark made in private that is pitifully ridiculous in comparison to things said by liberals. I've seen high school kids turned into liberals by the relentless misdirection of their liberal teachers. If a truly promising leader like Winston Churchill or George Washington were alive today, they would resign from politics or be forced out.
5 posted on 09/03/2013 7:24:15 AM PDT by Missouri gal
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To: Kaslin
Then, from Rev. Sharpton...

Al has not earned the title of Rev. He never went to divinity school, never had a church, never had a congregation. Same is true for Jesse Jackson. Al was "ordained" by a DC preacher when he was 10 years old, yet he perpetuates the lie.

6 posted on 09/03/2013 7:26:32 AM PDT by econjack (I'm not bossy...I just know what you should be doing.)
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To: Kaslin

I have posted in other threads that we ‘need a statesman to clean up the messes caused by the last 4 president.’

It is difficult to find a person who is more concerned about the future of the nation than in his/her own personal power and wealth.

Many went to Washington with bright ideals, but they quickly succumb to the seductive power of politics. It is a long way from feet of clay to statues of bronze.


7 posted on 09/03/2013 7:26:43 AM PDT by TomGuy (.)
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To: Kaslin

What great quotes. Thanks for posting.


8 posted on 09/03/2013 7:26:53 AM PDT by QBFimi (When gunpowder speaks, beasts listen.)
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To: Kaslin
Men like Churchill don’t come around but once in a lifetime.
9 posted on 09/03/2013 7:29:20 AM PDT by oldbrowser (We have a rogue government in Washington)
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To: ClearCase_guy
She is in Alaska, but she needs to be in all 50 states giving speeches. Speeches about her vision for America. Her vision and plan(s) to restore this nation to some resemblance of it's former self.
I for one am very disappointed that all we hear from her is Twitter and Facebook quotes and appearances on Fox.
That is great for her followers, but does nothing to sway others. This is NOT how Churchill and Reagan or for that matter Obama did it.
10 posted on 09/03/2013 7:33:37 AM PDT by Tupelo (There are no Republicans or Democrats in Washington. Just Millionaires protecting their turf.)
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To: Kaslin

Unfortunately, the term “statesman” has always been a misnomer. And, over the years, the “state” part of the word has become the operative word. Certainly, we’ve seen no real “men” for several years - almost anywhere on the globe.

The truth of the matter is that any great “statesman” has always backed up their words with outstanding action and deeds. So it was with Churchill, even Thatcher (who had the spine and figurative balls of a man), Reagan (PATCO, the Wall, Star Wars etc.) and the like.

What we now have is a prayer-rugged, curtain-hanging puppet community organizer/disrupter who can only “state,” not “do”. And when he decides to try and “do,” he lies or f@cks it up and has to regroup and re-message the optics.


11 posted on 09/03/2013 7:33:37 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: ilgipper; BenLurkin

Yes!! Is that a REAL photo??


12 posted on 09/03/2013 7:33:59 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion......the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Kaslin
Contrast [Churchill's resolve] with the current administration’s waffling over Syria, ...

Makes the pettiness of the return of the Churchill bust more understandable.

13 posted on 09/03/2013 7:39:43 AM PDT by RobinOfKingston (Democrats--the party of Evil. Republicans--the party of Stupid.)
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To: RobinOfKingston

‘zackly.


14 posted on 09/03/2013 7:45:28 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks ("Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth.")
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To: Kaslin

https://www.google.com/search?q=we’re+all+socialists+now+newsweek&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=AvglUpr6D8nayAHkh4G4Ag&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1695&bih=871


15 posted on 09/03/2013 7:55:25 AM PDT by PGalt
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To: Kaslin
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Great stuff... thanks for the post...

16 posted on 09/03/2013 8:05:46 AM PDT by GOPJ (Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts - Churchill)
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To: Kaslin

“If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.”

— Winston Churchill


17 posted on 09/03/2013 8:09:52 AM PDT by EternalVigilance
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To: Kaslin

Here's the last one I'm likely to see in my lifetime.

18 posted on 09/03/2013 8:13:12 AM PDT by workerbee (The President of the United States is DOMESTIC ENEMY #1)
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To: Kaslin

True statesmen are principled.

They understand that our individual rights come from God, not men, and that those rights are therefore unalienable.

They understand that just government exists to secure those rights.

We’ve been scouring the land for such people. Finding a few. Having to raise up the rest from the grassroots.

http://www.selfgovernment.us/be-a-leader.html


19 posted on 09/03/2013 8:17:23 AM PDT by EternalVigilance
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To: RobinOfKingston
Perhaps the Parliament had the return of the Churchill bust in mind when they told Cameron to go pound sand on Syria.

Happened to be reading Manchester's epic three volume biography of Churchill. Before Hitler's violation of the Versailles Treaty, Churchill sternly forewarned the British people and the Parliament in a series of editorials and speeches. Then as Hitler made every move from taking over the demilitarized Rhineland, to the Anschluss with Austria to the destruction of the Czech border etc., Churchill castigated PM Chamberlain in public and in private for holding his own legacy and reelection as paramount over Britain's survival.

We are very similar straits today with a pretender, a parvenu not only vainer narcissist than Chamberlain, but one who cannot even hold a candle to the average man's successful career. Yet it took events driven by the Nazi's and the relentless outspoken character Churchill to get the attention of the Brits before they moved a muscle and ousted Chamberlain. To be a Churchill takes maturity, experience and unmatched courage as even a vivid sense of history is useless without the ability to articulate patriotism to your government and your people.

There may be a few in Washington today who can do the job yet they are likely too young...Gowdy and Lee come to mind.

20 posted on 09/03/2013 8:19:10 AM PDT by masadaman
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