The book of Bush quotes may be short
“Freedom is on the march in this world. I believe everybody in the Middle East desires to live in freedom. I believe women in the Middle East want to live in a free society. I believe mothers and fathers want to raise their children in a free and peaceful world. I believe all these things, because freedom is not America’s gift to the world, freedom is the almighty God’s gift to each man and woman in this world.”
Speech in Pennsylvania, October 22, 2004
What part of these words do we find arrogant and demonstrative? Yet for 8 years we were told that George Bush was the devil himself only interested in power and money for him and his oil buddies. I contend that had this quote been from any other leader from days gone by it would be engraved on tablets and on display for all to see. It is said that from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks and if this true then freedom truly occupies a large portion of Presidents Bush’s and his words should inspire us all unto more worthy endeavors.
Perhaps it’s true that the book of quotes when finally printed will be a quick read but for those with eyes to see and ears to hear it will be like a lone ray of light that breaks through an otherwise dark and ominous cloud. People with foundations built on sand don’t want to hear about the sacrifice and hard work it takes to secure liberty. They really can’t make the hard choices but are oh so quick to criticize from the shadows of fear hoping to quell the light that will shine on their dark hearts. Misdeeds, greed and lust for anything other than God are repelled by light and for a man to speak in this way in our day and time cannot be tolerated. 8 years of hatred could not stop one mans strength and so the drum beat continues today and seemingly will not cease until every last ounce of the idea of freedom is beat out of us.
It might have been different had George Bush been our 5th president and his words could be neatly tucked away in a history book that we don’t allow our children to read. The tablet and monuments erected would make for tolerable photo op’s and allowing tourist to see how things were in the past would be acceptable but that is as far as it would go. His words would be as Lincoln’s, Adams or Washington in that we recite them from time to time but need not apply them in our new progressive and tolerant world.
But Bush took it one step further and committed the ultimate sin and for that he can never be cited for greatness. Talk of freedom became action and today millions of Iraqi men and women enjoy a freedom they have not had in generations. He spoke of God and openly prayed and invoked the Almighty for aid and blessing. He spoke directly and with conviction to despot leaders and yes raised the mighty arm of the United States military and we lived in safety and peace on our homeland because of his leadership. He spoke of compassion and millions of African children flourished when his words became action. He sent brave men and women to the front lines and stood behind them in prayer and when a fallen hero was brought home he made the call to offer comfort to their loved ones.
Strength can be measured in words but they are only tested by action and if the words remain when the fire is gone then they were true indeed. For his term the fire raged and his words were tried and found true. It may not be in my lifetime or yours but there will come a day when somewhere on the hallowed grounds of leaders gone by that a small but significant monument will be erected. A tourist will stop and pose for a picture holding in her hand a small but well read book opened up to a page for all to see.
“…The God I know is one that promotes peace and freedom. But I get great sustenance from my personal relationship. That doesn’t make me think I’m a better person than you are, by the way. Because one of the great admonitions in the Good Book is, don’t try to take a speck out of your eye if I’ve got a log in my own.”
–Interview by Radio and Television Ireland, June 24, 2004
One solemn step
In a quiet and unsung move president Obama has taken his first Presidential step since taking office January 2009. No major fan fare or speeches with war on terrorism logos on the back drop. With just a signature on a document Obama set into motion helicopters and guns with one goal in mind, the death of a man. This action was never anticipated by either political party and most assuredly it was the last thing on terrorist Saleh Ali Nabhans mind.
Who could have ever thought that our current commander in chief who champions the liberal mindset would have ever personally condemned a man to death but now there is no denying that this mans end of life came with Obamas blessing.
Nabhan is believed to have been behind the 1998 attacks on U.S. emabassies in Kenya and Tanzania and also is the reported mastermind of the resort hotel bombing in Mombasa 2002 as well as a failed rocket attack on an Israeli airliner. An officer of the al Qaeda network it is not reported as yet if he leaves any family behind.
President Obama, welcome to the presidency of the United States of America. It is these types of decisions that only a few chosen men are charged to make and you sir have made your first. I don’t believe you will be treated with the same distain as your predecessor and as of this writing there seems only to be the fan fare of a few blogs and the talk radio which you despise. No voices even in these venues seem to be overly critical and there are no plans for congressional hearings and talks of war crimes. You sir by your action, forethought and with deliberate conscience have decided that a man should die.
It is a heavy decision that any leader has to make to send men and women into harms way with the only goal of ending the life of those we deem our enemy. Saleh Ali Nabhan has no further part of anything under the sun, no thought work or deed. He was not afforded the chance to face the blind eyes of justice and only waits for his day to meet his maker where divine judgement will be meted out.
This step was yours President Barack Hussein Obama and yours alone. With it you have saved lives but you may never meet or know who it is that will benefit from your decision. The hardest decisions are always the loneliest and come with the most weight. Perhaps you have gleaned some modicum of grandeur from President Bush who was faced with thousands of these in his 8 years. It seems at least for now you will escape the cruel scrutiny that Bush dealt with but the heaviness cannot be escaped. The death of any man is not to be taken lightly even those who are confirmed terrorists.
So you sir have come to this conclusion and may need to decide other similar actions as well. I pray to God for wisdom for you and that you continue to stand strong in the face of our enemies. When those long nights come you only need to look back one administration for the example of a leader who stood strong in his convictions and moral direction for an example. If you gain nothing else from recent history this is something you should not ignore and with todays threats that abound, it’s something I’m sure you’ll need.
Let us never forget
“When suffering comes, we yearn for some sign from God, forgetting we have just had one.”
Mignon McLaughlin (American Journalist and Author, 1913-1983)
Seeds of hope
Head held high and shoulders back you command the faltering crowd
Words are seeds and you plant indeed in the rows that others have plowed
“I am right my, my vision is true, just follow me and you’ll see”
A leader leads but a speaker just speaks which one is it you wish to be?
When words take root and ideas spring up all in the carefully laid row
But no gardeners to tend just backs that won’t bend what will your words have to show?
Weeds creep in and erosion takes hold while your new sprouts strain in the heat
Weeds were seeds too as you allowed them to grow so the blame is laid at your feet
No tools in hand no sweat on your brow your words are just left there to die
The weeds choke words and the ideas are purged and you chastise those who ask why
“This is my garden now, my seeds are cast and we’ll all share in this my brand new crop”
But less is grown and each must now share his own except those who remain at the top
The winter blows cold and the fire is low as we huddle and remember the past
When harvests were good and weeds were few and we all thought that those times would last
Spring time will come and we’ll start again but this time our rows rearrange
Springtime will come for tired souls who thought they needed new hope and new change
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