Must Read of the Day

[Annie]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0131/p09s02-coop.htm

A crisis of courage
Do we in the West have the wisdom and confidence to prevail against Islamist terror?
By Jon Kyl

WASHINGTON

In a speech to Harvard University's graduating class of 1978, Alexander Solzhenitsyn attacked the West's weak confrontation of communism. His words remain instructive today as we face a different ideological threat.

Mr. Solzhenitsyn warned that "The Western world has lost its civil courage..." and rhetorically asked, "Should one point out that from ancient times decline in courage has been considered the beginning of the end?" He lamented that "[N]o weapons, no matter how powerful, can help the West until it overcomes its loss of willpower."

Solzhenitsyn's beliefs in faith and courage undoubtedly drew the attention of a new generation of leaders. Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Pope John Paul II – like the giants of America's founding – came to their positions of authority at a historically propitious time and helped supply the essential willpower of which Solzhenitsyn spoke. Under their strong leadership, communism collapsed, democracy and free-market economies gained currency, and liberty seemed to be on the march worldwide.

Unfortunately, our respite from ideological confrontation was short-lived. And, once again, the same lack of courage has inhibited the West's struggle against global terrorists, many of them state-sponsored.

Solzhenitsyn actually foresaw much of our current predicament in that 1978 commencement address. He observed that "Political and intellectual bureaucrats ... get tongue-tied and paralyzed when they deal with powerful governments and threatening forces, with aggressors and international terrorists." Consider, for example, the UN's weak resolutions against Iran.

Solzhenitsyn also observed: "When a government starts an earnest fight against terrorism, public opinion immediately accuses it of violating the terrorists' civil rights. There are many such cases."

Indeed there are! The reaction, especially in Europe, to Saddam Hussein's death sentence is a case in point...

 

[Avatar4321]

I think alot of society does lack the courage to do whats right.

Like for one of my classes, we were reading about colonialism and legal issues with aboriginal people in Austrailia. It amazes me how many students wrote on how they need to apologize to the aboriginal people. Like apologizing for something no one alive participated in is going to change the reality of the situation somehow.

Don't get me wrong. Im all for apologizing when you actually do something wrong. But I think apologizing for acts done by others is ridiculous. its an invitation to get walked all over. Its a symbolic gesture that means absolutely nothing. A way to avoid fixing the real problem because you are too afraid to.

 

[Annie]

I think alot of society does lack the courage to do whats right.

Like for one of my classes, we were reading about colonialism and legal issues with aboriginal people in Austrailia. It amazes me how many students wrote on how they need to apologize to the aboriginal people. Like apologizing for something no one alive participated in is going to change the reality of the situation somehow.

Don't get me wrong. Im all for apologizing when you actually do something wrong. But I think apologizing for acts done by others is ridiculous. its an invitation to get walked all over. Its a symbolic gesture that means absolutely nothing. A way to avoid fixing the real problem because you are too afraid to.

Not to mention that they are applying 'their culture/mores' to a time with very different 'culture/mores'. I thought that the reason Britain is changing all the prison toilets to face Mecca was respect for other's culture/mores? We are so pc with some things, so irrational with our own history.

 

[Adam's Apple]

A loss of courage among the libs and those they falsely influence is indeed our national problem right now. Solzhenitsyn, who knew whereof he spoke from personal experience, got it right when he said, "No weapons, no matter how powerful, can help the West until it overcomes its loss of willpower." Can anyone dispute that the Dems and MSM are doing everything in their power to destroy America's willpower?

 

[sitarro]

I think alot of society does lack the courage to do whats right.

Like for one of my classes, we were reading about colonialism and legal issues with aboriginal people in Austrailia. It amazes me how many students wrote on how they need to apologize to the aboriginal people. Like apologizing for something no one alive participated in is going to change the reality of the situation somehow.

Don't get me wrong. Im all for apologizing when you actually do something wrong. But I think apologizing for acts done by others is ridiculous. its an invitation to get walked all over. Its a symbolic gesture that means absolutely nothing. A way to avoid fixing the real problem because you are too afraid to.

Gee, kind of reminds me of the reperation demands that American-Africans, and anyone else with dark skin that can pass as someone with an African ancestory, are trying to push. I wish "The Reverend" Al Sharpton would just set a price. What will it cost the American public to take that slavery card away? How much to have the black population of America never be able to blame, whine about or even bring up the slavery of their great grandfathers? Instead they will have to be thankful for the sacrifices their ancestors made to allow them to have been born in America with a chance to live a good life rather than running from lions throughout the jungles of Africa eating bugs for dinner. How much will that cost?

My ancestors were enslaved by the British, not only did I let it go, I never let it get in the way of my life, I couldn't give a shit. Then again I can't create a guilt among the citizens of Britain for past atrocities that might excuse my idiot behavior or get me a check. My guess is that most people can find slavery in their geneology chart.

 

[glockmail]

....

My ancestors were enslaved by the British, not only did I let it go, I never let it get in the way of my life, I couldn't give a shit. Then again I can't create a guilt among the citizens of Britain for past atrocities that might excuse my idiot behavior or get me a check. My guess is that most people can find slavery in their geneology chart.

Exactly. When the Africans were picking cotton my Irish ancestors were getting their arses kicked by the Brits. My grandfather's response? He married on of 'em. Made her life miserable for over 50 years, too!

 

[glockmail]

....It amazes me how many students wrote on how they need to apologize to the aboriginal people. .....

This is part of the femanization of America long envisioned by the Left and propogated by the Damnocrat-led Teacher's unions.