Rice tells SBC Messengers U.S. should spread freedom

newsfeeds@tracerlock.com ^ | 6-15-06 | Robert Marus

[no dems]

By Robert Marus Associated Baptist Press GREENSBORO - In an address that was received like a campaign stump speech, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting, exhorting her listeners to support the United States in spreading freedom around the globe.

After a standing ovation upon being introduced - during which one man on the convention floor yelled, “You’ve got my vote!” - Rice touched briefly on her faith background as the daughter and granddaughter of Presbyterian ministers.

She then thanked Southern Baptists for their faith-motivated social work and disaster relief, saying, “Whenever tragedy brings people to their knees, Southern Baptists have been there to help people get back on their feet.”

Rice spent most of the remainder of her remarks casting a missionary-like vision of the United States’ role on the world stage - as a liberator and spreader of freedom and justice.

“President Bush and I share your conviction that America can, and must, be a force for good in the world,” she said. “Human dignity is not the grant of governments. … It is God’s endowment to all humanity.”

Some people throughout the world are denied that dignity regularly by poverty, by the lack of political and religious freedom and by human trafficking and other forms of subjugation - and those situations are ultimately in America’s best interest to ameliorate, she said.

“These are tragedies, but they are also threats in the making,” Rice said.

The United States has a keen interest in promoting religious freedom abroad, stopping oppression in places like Darfur, fighting AIDS and poverty and ending human trafficking worldwide, because oppression, poverty and suffering produce instability, she asserted.

“If America does not serve great purposes - if we do not rally other nations to fight intolerance and to support peace and to defend freedom … then our world will drift towards tragedy,” she said.

“The strong will do what they please, the weak will suffer most of all. And inevitably - inevitably - sooner or later, the threats of the world” will come to U.S. shores as they did on Sept 11, 2001, she said.

America has both the moral authority and the ability to lead the world, Rice said.

“Let us resolve to deal with the world as it is, but never to accept that we are powerless to make it better than it is - not perfect, but better,” she said.

“America will lead the cause of freedom in our world not because we think ourselves perfect. To the contrary, we cherish democracy and champion its ideals because we know we are not perfect.”

Rice acknowledged that the United States has a history of not living up to its own ideals of freedom.

“After all, when our Founding Fathers said ‘we the people,’ they didn’t mean me,” she said. “My ancestors in Mr. Jefferson’s Constitution were only 3/5 of a man.”

But times have changed, Rice said, whose predecessors in office were an African-American man and a white woman.

“If I serve to the end of my term as secretary, it will be 12 years since a white man was secretary of state,” she quipped, to loud applause.

The Southern Baptists saved their most enthusiastic ovation for a section of the speech where Rice discussed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The SBC was one of the few denominations whose leaders publicly supported the Iraq war. The day before Rice spoke, the denomination’s resolutions committee quashed a South Carolina messenger’s proposed resolution “on the Southern Baptist Convention’s support for the unjust war in Iraq.”

Rice acknowledged that the war has ended up being “far more difficult than many of us expected it would be.” But she said the price was worth it - to fight terrorism and to give Iraqis and Afghans “a chance - not a guarantee” of freedom with security.

“When possible, we are bringing terrorists to justice, and when necessary, we are bringing justice to the terrorists,” she said, to an enthusiastic standing ovation.

After her speech, SBC President Bobby Welch led the messengers in prayer for Rice.

“We thank you now for this sweet lady whom you have protected and guided and blessed,” Welch prayed. “You know how we have longed and yearned for such leadership as this, and we are grateful, Lord.”

At the end of a final standing ovation, a group of messengers broke into a spontaneous chorus of “God Bless America,” which quickly spread around the Greensboro Coliseum. As Rice exited the building, Welch led attendees in repeating the song’s first verse.

[no dems]

"At the end of a final standing ovation, a group of messengers broke into a spontaneous chorus of “God Bless America,”

A final standing ovation: That tells me there was more than one standing ovation. As she leaves, they spontaneously begin singing "God Bless America". This lady leaves them in awe wherever she goes.

If she even hinted at a possible run for the White House, the outpouring of support for her candidacy would be overwhelming.

[Excellence]

“When possible, we are bringing terrorists to justice, and when necessary, we are bringing justice to the terrorists,” she said, to an enthusiastic standing ovation.

What's that line about bringing the mountain to Mohammad? Oh, if only I could draw.

[Littlejon]

I was there for her speech and it was quite good. There were many ovations, especially when she talked about the troops.

She does have a good presence about her when speaking and she delivered passion when needed and humility when needed. She definitely knows how to work a crowd.

[toomuchcoffee]

She's got my vote, too.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

I would vote for Dr Condi. She is bright, articulate, conservative, plays a mean piano, and loves football. She would make a great President. As long as we are breaking the barrier for the first woman President, why not a black woman. It would be awesome.

[Carl LaFong]

I thought SBC is now AT&T

[JFaron]

Run Condi Run!!!

[ASA Vet]

The only reason I opened this thread was to see if her SBC/AT&T/Yahoo messenger ID was given.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

When you watch her speak with authority - her remarks on national security and defense come across with the genuine sense that she could handle the job and do very well as President. When Hillary addresses a defense or national security issue she raises her voice as if louder is tantamount to more credible. I'd gladly vote for Rice.

[ASA Vet]

Louder and shriller. No wonder Bill chooses to live elsewhere.

[section9]

This was a campaign tryout with an arena full of base voters. She didn't have to do this speech. Rummy could have done this speech. Cheney could have done this speech. But Condi went, instead. She did herself a world of good. And they prayed over her at the end.

Absolutely awesome. That would have never happened to Rudy or McCain. I will bet you six ways from Sunday those two camps watched that speech and the reaction to it.

Contrast, as well, the way Hillary got received by her base voters.

Meantime, the gays are all upset because Condi didn't criticize the Prez on gay marriage. Too bad, so sad.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[ASA Vet]

If I serve to the end of my term as secretary

She's still on schedule to become VP next January.

[no dems]

Hmmmm. Didn't catch that. Good observation.