Posted on 05/27/2007 3:01:47 AM PDT by saveliberty
Reposted for Memorial Day.
An Englishman decides that it is a sentiment not worthy of mockery, after all.
The Americans are more old-fashioned than us, and what is equally admirable, they are not ashamed of being old-fashioned. They know Churchill was a great man, so they put his house on the map. There is a kind of Englishman to whom this sort of behaviour seems painfully unsophisticated.
[ ]
But lest these impressions of the United States seem unduly favourable, it should be added that the Americans have not remained in happy possession of their free constitution without cost. Thomas Jefferson warned that the tree of liberty must be watered from time to time with the blood of tyrants and patriots. To the Americans, the idea that freedom and democracy exact a cost in blood is second nature.
[ ]
We stood at Gettysburg, scene of the bloodiest battle of all, on a field covered with memorials to the fallen. Here Abraham Lincoln gave his great and sublimely brief address, ending with the hope that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.Again some Europeans will give an unkind smile. All this sounds so Puritan, so naïve and so self-righteous. We cannot help feeling that the Americans ought to have been able to settle their quarrel without killing each other, and, while we cannot defend the institution of slavery, we wonder whether the North had the right to impose its will by force.
[ ]
The Americans are prepared to use force in pursuit of what they regard as noble aims. It is yet another respect in which they are rather old-fashioned. They are patriots who venerate their nation and their flag.
[ ]
But when the Americans speak of freedom, we should not imagine, in our cynical and worldly-wise way, that they are merely using that word as a cloak for realpolitik. They are not above realpolitik, but they also mean what they say.
These formidable people think freedom is so valuable that it is worth dying for.
A very moving piece this American was grateful to read.
Check out Chris Muirs dose of reality.
This 86 year old Vet honors his comrades.
Shauna Fleming, meanwhile has organized A Million Thanks.
President salutes the troops. Literally.
Meanwhile, AJ brings successes in Iraq you might not have read about.
More for Memorial Day:
Flopping Aces says Remember
Ubiquitous Fred Thompson says I Remember
Me Delivering a Message to my Milreaders
A soldier writes a letter to the press
Old Broad says Honor Them
Thoughts on the hell that is war
Sorry, could you please correct the typo - the w should be an s in Americans?
Thank you.
Cheers,
sl
Another Memorial Day ping
I watched Old Broad’s HONOR THEM in silence. Outstanding.
Thank you, freema
Thank you, saveliberty.
You are welcome, freema.
Thank you for the ping.
Happy Memorial Day.
God bless our troops past and present.
Good morning, Mrs. Nooseman. Happy Memorial Day.
God bless our military- past and present.
And our Communists in the NH state legislature wants to remove “Live Free Or Die” as our state motto.
Let them move to Vermont.
The finest men and women the world may never know.
Thanks to all who have served, all who are serving, and all who will serve in the future.
And honor those veterans who are no longer with us
Thank you, PGalt.
Bump!
Thanks, Saveliberty
TO ALL VETS...
THANK YOU FOR MY FREEDOM!
Thank you, ConfidentConservative.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.