-Take Back the Senate-
TOSS OUT THE DASCHLE/CLINTON DEMOCRATS!
Posted on 09/07/2002 10:06:12 AM PDT by Creightongrad
The great movie director Frank Capra was asked by Gen. George Marshall to make a series of films to explain why America was fighting World War II. Capra, being only a major, followed orders and created the "Why We Fight" series.
Capra was a master of persuasion. He knew that it is no easy task to make such abstract concepts as "evil" and "justice" concrete. Capra had seen Leni Riefenstahl's masterpiece "Triumph of Will," and that was the standard by which his work would be measured. In his films, Capra used both reason and emotion to reaffirm his audience's commitment to its cause. No one who was opposed to World War II would be convinced by Capra's films, but that was not the purpose. The purpose instead was to articulate, explain and clarify by repetition the reasons for the U.S. expenditure of men and materiel.
In this new century, nothing about human nature has changed. Just as our forefathers fought against evil and totalitarianism, our generation is engaged in the same task but in a different form and against an enemy in some aspects more powerful.
In many ways, in the year since Sept. 11, 2001, it is hard to tell that the United States is at war. There is no rationing of commodities. Despite pockets of weakness, the economy remains strong. Thankfully, the number of dead and injured has been relatively small. The American people, as the president requested, have gone on "to live your lives." That is both a blessing and a curse. The burden of war has so far been borne by the few. The downside is that the many might forget or misunderstand why this nation is fighting and may soon be called into a broader war in Iraq.
President Bush's speeches of Sept. 14 at the National Cathedral and on Sept. 20 at the Capitol are worth revisiting. Everyone recalls the lines, "Whether we bring our enemies to justice, or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done" and "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." But there was so much more to these speeches. We all need to be reminded again of why we fight.
The president noted that, "Just three days removed from these events, Americans do not yet have the distance of history. But our responsibility to history is already clear: to answer these attacks and rid the world of evil."
The adversity that was Sept. 11 introduced our nation "to ourselves." And what we witnessed was good. "Our fellow Americans are generous and kind, resourceful and brave. We see our national character in rescuers working past exhaustion .... Today, we feel what Franklin Roosevelt called the warm courage of national unity."
The link between the World War II generation and today was acknowledged. "In every generation, the world has produced enemies of human freedom. They have attacked America, because we are freedom's home and defender. And the commitment of our fathers is now the calling of our time."
The core message of the Sept. 20 address was: "Freedom and fear are at war." Terrorism trades on fear and lack of confidence. "Terrorists attacked a symbol of American prosperity. They did not touch its source. America is successful because of the hard work and creativity and enterprise of our people."
The president emphasized that while "we are not immune from attack," a defensive war is not possible. "The only way to defeat terrorism as a threat to our way of life is to stop it, eliminate it and destroy it where it grows."
This war on terror is not a battle over land or oil but, rather, "a fight for our principles." And what are those principles? Some of them are "our freedom of religion, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other." The principles of our republic are also those of civilization. "This is the fight of all who believe in progress and pluralism, tolerance and freedom."
The parallels between al-Qaida and fascism, Nazism and totalitarianism were drawn. "And (al-Qaida) will follow that path all the way, to where it ends: in history's unmarked grave of discarded lies."
The terrorists only win in their goal of creating fear if we choose to let them scare us.
"But this country will define, not be defined by them," Bush said. "As long as the United States of America is determined and strong, this will not be an age of terror; this will be an age of liberty, here and across the world."
We, as a nation, have the free will to choose how we respond in our minds and actions to the attacks.
The president cautioned the American people to be patient and not expect sound bites and nightly images documenting our successes. But even in a long campaign, "We will not tire, we will not falter and we will not fail" as "our resolve must not pass."
The president concluded by saying: "The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain. Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them."
We fight because we are right and to protect liberty everywhere. Let's not forget that as this war continues.
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