Keepers Of The Flame (And The Churchill Equation)
Woody
March 29th, 2007
Oddly enough, as I have been a major critic of television series
portending to dispense lessons in history or sermons on morality in
relation to current events, this article was actually inspired by one
such reference, from a television show. Yes, I did my homework as to
the veracity of the reference, but it needs to be said that I would
not have even thought of this had it not been for that otherwise silly
show. Hey, if the younger ones would follow my example and verify
before accepting what they hear, they'd all be better for the
experience.
But I wanted to write this in praise and salutation to our
soldiers, and the men and women who work to support the effort of the
American fighting machine. No one deserves more accolades than they.
I was a long-haired hippy-looking dude back in the mid seventies,
but even then I had a conservative bent. I hated the anti-war movement
despite the fact that I looked like any other protester. I was sitting
in a tavern one late afternoon after work, and I wound up seated at
the bar next to an "old guy". (He must have been in his late sixties).
The Cold War was still simmering pretty good at that time, and Carter
was in his second year. The old guy and I struck up a beer-soaked
conversation and it quickly turned political, and I swear at the end I
thought he was going to file papers for adoption.
He made a most hasty assumption that I was "one o' them hippies",
but when it came down to what might happen if the Commies ever did
invade, I told him that my faith in the American spirit was such that
even the most timid amongst us would fight like wolverines to preserve
our way of life, and that the Commies would learn the true mettle of
an American. He damned near cried and had he been a bit younger and
stronger, may well have crushed my spine in the bear-hug that
followed. And then I damned near cried, too. I've never forgotten that
day, and I hope that if by some miracle he is still alive, he will see
or hear these words and remember.
What led me to write this, however was that dumb TV show. A
character was making a veiled threat to another regarding a legal
challenge, and referenced Winston Churchill saying of America as we
entered WWII:
"I knew the United States now was in the war up to the neck. So we
have won after all. Some said the Americans were soft, others that
they would never be united. They would fool around at a distance. They
would never come to grips. They couldn't stand the bloodletting. Their
democracy and system of recurrent elections would paralyze the
American war effort. They would be just a vague blur on the horizon to
friend or foe. Now, we would see the weakness of this numerous,
remote, wealthy, and talkative people."
Even then, Churchill knew that America would eventually rouse from
her collective slumber and smash the enemy with ruthless aggression
and a simultaneous embarrassment for having been forced to bare her
teeth.
But perhaps the most telling assessment of our worth came from
Edward Grey, the former Prime Minister of England:
"The United States is like a gigantic boiler. Once the fire is
lighted under it, there is no limit to the power it can generate."
Much of this I derived from Paul Wolfowitz's speech at The Keepers
Of The Flame awards dinner in 2003. It is a transcript of the event,
but it speaks volumes of the committment of our troops and the
confidence they have in this country. Much as the young hippy did in
that tavern so many years ago.
And how right he was. There are indeed things to be learned from
silly television programs. Or at least there are things which promote
thought and stir the curiousity to learn more of what we hear...
-Woody