Posted on 01/11/2012 11:38:40 AM PST by Badabing Badablonde
Chalk this up to the musings of one who is weary of the tribal council atmosphere (so...who are we going to vote off?) currently rumbling among conservatives committed to the removal of an ineffective and dangerous President (I don’t call him a leader. Presidents are those who get their authority from being elected. Leaders are those who are not formally elected, but have followers because of their virtues and integrity).
With a Best Buy gift card, my son recently purchased “The King’s Speech.” Having a British great-grandmother, and having lived in the north of England for a short time as a teenager, I have read and enjoyed British history most of my life. So I was anxious to watch the movie and see its alignment with the actual facts. I was not disappointed. While artistic license was employed as expected in some scenes, for the most part it was well done and the acting was incredible.
As the King delivers the speech in the final scene, the viewers are shown scenes of families, working men in pubs, his own family, nobility, citizens from all walks of life, listening intently as the King pledges to lead them thru what could become more dark days ahead, after those of WWI. Knowing what I know now about the Germans bombing London, and the people refusing to even whine as they spent days and nights sleeping in subways and underground bunkers, I see these good people ready for a fight. Led by a man who feared speaking in public worse than facing Hitler himself. An accidental king, with no male heir, and a spouse who refused numerous marriage proposals from him because she did not want to live a life of public service.
And yet, the overarching theme was that this man and his doting wife understood a single concept – duty, and God’s sovereign appointment to duty. They believed that God placed them in those roles despite opposing circumstances which appeared to lead them in another direction. Duty. Duty is what leads a man to step forward and accept a monarchy when legal precedent would have allowed him to refuse and send a younger brother with a male heir in his place. Duty is what leads a man to spend years in speech therapy so he can inspire an empire. Duty is what leads a woman to accept her role as queen in order to support a man she so obviously adores. Duty is what inspires. Duty and self sacrifice is how men and women and nations become great. And nations will not become great without people who lead by example.
These two humble people, armed with nothing but a sense of duty and an unshakeable belief in the God who placed them in that role, faced skeptical support from family and friends in their abilities, and scornful acceptance of their ascendency from a centuries-old royal establishment that owned them rather than the opposite. They walked the streets of London inspecting bomb rubble, including that of their own palace. The Queen was quoted as saying, “I’m glad we’ve been bombed…..it makes me feel I can look the East End in the face.” They refused to send their daughters, heir presumptives to the throne, to safe-houses in foreign lands, and instead set up their household in one of their country estates outside of London (was it Windsor?). “The children will not leave without me…I will not leave without the king….and the king will never leave.”
Truly inspiring.
And yet, I had to reflect on where the US is today. Do we have a leader who is willing to embrace duty, self-sacrifice, and his/her own internal fears for the sake of a nation? When was the last time we as a nation were so blessed? Can we pray for a leader who will look only to the divine providence of God as his/her primary reason for seeking the presidency? I find myself overwhelmed with the comparisons, metaphors, parallels, and wishes that this movie left with me. So much so that I won’t go any further. This is the point where Freepers are best at taking over. But listening to that man, King George VI, delivering a speech of hope and inspiration that set the stage for victory, I found myself almost envious...and cynical.
His older brother was a fascist sympathizer and would have demoralized Great Britain during the dark days after Dunkirk.
You've got the wrong country in mind.
In America, there's no kingdom but God's.
Nicely written.
An excellent movie - which I, ironically, also bought at Best Buy before Christmas!
All I can say is - a nation gets the Government and leaders it deserves. Even in many dictatorships, the leaders are basically a reflection of the character of a nation.
Interesting point. So what we have now is a leader who is no leader at all, but rather a reflection of self-servitude, anger, and a total lack of understanding of just who and what the USA is.
I have no idea what your point is, but ok, you win the piety award.
Inspirational essay. You ask the most basic questions.
I see two men in the remaining Republican field who display such a devotion to duty: Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. Now, a further question is what is their definition of duty? Do they both have the same definition, or do they differ?
By comparison, Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich are gadflies.
JMHO
It’s hard to find anything positive to say about Wallis Simpson but she may have done us all a favor by effectively removing Edward from the throne.
We can. The question is, will we?
What if God already sent the leader we need. Why presume God is holding back? Why not presume God is generous?
But what can a leader who looks only to the divine providence of God do, if the people don't also look only to the divine providence of God?
The test is of of the leader, or of God - it's of the people. The gift has been given, but it can't even be seen without first accepting what it represents.
And time is VERY short. After all, this offer can't go on forever. How does the Bible put it? "God is not mocked." LOL - and at this point, God is beyond mocked - He's covered with spit. So it doesn't look good.
And yet, all it would take is to tell evil to go to hell. No revolution, no fighting. Just a refusal to do evil, not in any official capacity, but in our own daily lives. To dump hypocrisy and cruelty. To let go of sadism and stop lying. You know, the basics. And then the light could be seen.
Instead we have Obama, and then Hillary beating Mitt. Great plan. Just great. And gee, such a mystery as what that will bring to the country, eh? And the world. Masters of the Universe. :: spit ::
I received this movie for Christmas, but have not yet had the opportunity to watch it. I hope to either this afternoon or Friday.
Excellent post. We as Americans own the White House, no one person or party takes it — we entrust it to them. I have always believed in that with all my heart. Not enough Americans really believe that this country belongs to us and not to the politicians or elected leaders. So why are we not praying for our country and our government more?
I've travelled a lot and have lived overseas in several different countries, so that's where my original comment comes from. The USA is still the best, but there are quite a few people here who have no idea where they come from, and no appreciation of the fact that they are living in a grand house (the United States) built by the Constitution and, traditions and values of generations before them. Rather, they have very narrow and directionless, PC, world-views which ape the flimsy culture of our media and much of public education.
They would sell their votes, self-respect and freedom for a few magic beans.
Don't despair though, as you point out, the voice of a great man or woman can cut through all of that!
bttt
Thank you; you are so very right. I pray we have men and women of similar courage.
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