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I always try to be a cheerful Conservative. I cast my first vote in 1980 for Ronald Reagan and his happy warrior quote is often in my mind. President Reagan was speaking before the CPAC (Conservative Political Action Committee) dinner in 1985 and made these comments.
Once during the campaign, I said, “This is a wonderful time to be alive.” And I meant that. I meant that we’re lucky not to live in pale and timid times. We’ve been blessed with the opportunity to stand for something—for liberty and freedom and fairness. And these are things worth fighting for, worth devoting our lives to. And we have good reason to be hopeful and optimistic.
We’ve made much progress already. So, let us go forth with good cheer and stout hearts-happy warriors out to seize back a country and a world to freedom.
Thank you, and God bless you.
Good cheer, stout hearts and happy warriors. Such pretty, optimistic thoughts.
I am in bad humor, my heart is heavy and I am a cranky warrior today. Well, it started last night. I accidentally got a text message from a Bernie Sanders volunteer meant for a Bernie Sanders potential voter.
The polite thing would have been to ignore the text message. For some reason, the text cheesed me off and I responded. I have been in a foul humor ever since.
The three top choices in this election, according to the media, are a woman whose venal incompetence is legendary (Hillary!), an angry bully who stokes crowds with more anger (Trump), and an old Socialist who doesn’t understand economics, politics, or apparently, human nature.
Bernie Sanders promises free everything to everyone. Nothing in life is free. Someone pays a cost for everything. I think that is what cheeses me off the most. Everything in life has an associated cost. One pays for everything in life with something. Your money, your freedom, your soul. Robert Heinlein was a great science fiction writer. Among his great quotes is the following:
Nothing of value is free. Even the breath of life is purchased at birth only through gasping effort and pain.
What do you value? What are you willing to give up? What is the cost of your soul?
If you are voting today in #SuperTuesday, make a good choice. Good cheer, stout heart and a happy warrior.
I truly hope says: Why do you have such a problem with Trump?
So he’s a demagogue. So? What of it?
Toni Williams says: Isn’t that enough?
Toni
I truly hope says: No. Why would it be?
I don’t care if he’s angry and incites anger in others. Just so long as it isn’t directed at me.
I support him because “Make America Great Again” reallg translates to “Make The Discourse Simple Again”. Reduce it to caveman levels so that my tiny overworked ape brain, and yours, can once again divide the world into good and bad instead of gray.
I truly hope says: Or perhaps a better phrasing would be:
“Make It Ok To Hate Again”
GWB says: Well, that’s certainly a noble goal for America.
Jodi says: “I don’t care if he’s angry and incites anger in others. Just so long as it isn’t directed at me.” That sounds eerily similar to this:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
I truly hope says: “First they came” is an argument that works on pacifists who reject the second amendment.
Give me liberty or give me death. And we have the second amendment to make the latter choice costly.
I don’t care if they come for the pacifists who won’t fight back. They won’t fight for their rights, SO THEY DON’T DESERVE THEM.
Jodi says: “As long as it’s not directed at me.” Well, it will be. Just as soon as you defy him.
GWB says: One important concept to keep in mind: your Creator-given rights are *not* given to you because you deserve them. They are your natural-born rights, regardless of your ability or even your estimation of them.
I am gearing up for the fight on the horizon not simply because I want to exercise my rights, but because everyone’s freedom must be protected, or it isn’t freedom. It’s merely might-makes-right, and you hope the 2d Amendment has equipped you with enough right to not bow to another’s might.
(Everyone = American citizens)
GWB says: I’m afraid I’m to the point of grim-faced soldier rather than happy warrior.
RAH was by no means a perfect man, but he certainly had his head on straight about a great many things. And he was certainly willing to go where others wouldn’t to explore what man is really like. It would be interesting to see what he would write today, inspired by current events.
Toni Williams says: GWB- We are all rather grim-faced soldiers today. And, no the man who wrote Starship Troopers was not perfect. But, he understood that their is a cost associated with everything.
Toni
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