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Government & Societies Throughout Time - Page 2
Commentary © 2007 Richard J. Chandler
Attorney, vegetarian and social activist Mahatma Gandhi worked to alleviate poverty, discrimination, the inequality of woman in society and foreign dominance by utilizing non-violence to take the moral high ground away from the holders of power, who had kept the status quo in place. His influence has reverberated well beyond India and helped to inspire our own civil rights movement.
“The only tyrant I accept in this world is the 'still small voice' within me.”
- Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
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This quotation, by the very successful Prussian leader who forged unification of Germany in the late 1800’s, seems to be every bit as true today as it was when first stated. As we listen to modern day politicians say that they ‘approve of something in principle’, and notice that action doesn’t follow, we witness the truth of Bismarck’s words, standing like guardians, outside the boundaries of historical time.
“When a man says he approves of something in principle, it means he hasn’t the slightest intention of putting it into practice.”
- Prince Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898)
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John Locke, a physician and philosopher whose writings significantly influenced the founding fathers of the United States, states a truth which many agree with, and few refrain from acting upon as he described.
“New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common.”
John Locke (1632- 1704)
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Since “Freedom is on the march,” we certainly wouldn’t want to “Cut and run” when a simple “Surge” would allow us to “Stay the course.”
[Note: While these aren’t exactly true quotes, in the sense of a cohesive string of words that actually make sense, they have been stated often by President George W. Bush, as if by repeating them frequently and emphatically, we citizens might magically understand why we are still so heavily involved with military operations in what is more like a civil war than what we as citizens signed on for: a short term military operation designed to disarm the former regime.]
The following quotation by Edward Murrow, the distinguished journalist, reminds me of the sharp contrast between what many in our news, radio and TV talk show and bloggers routinely do, and the possibility of having practical, solution-oriented policies for our country as it navigates national and world affairs.
“Our major obligation is to not mistake slogans for solutions.”
- Edward R. Murrow (1908-1965)
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The following quote by President Lincoln, reminds me of another quote: "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." Many recently elected congressmen and congresswomen campaigned on their intentions to actually make the decisions, which we elected them to make. But a paved road isn't necessarily a traveled road.
“I have been told I was on the road to hell, but I had no idea it was just a mile down the road with a Dome on it.”
- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
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Unlike how in recent past, the George W. Bush administration initially engaged the 911 perpetrators located primarily in Afghanistan, and then a little later on, chose to open a new theater of operation in Iraq; our country ultimately refrained from becoming committed to military operations in China just over a half century ago. In congressional testimony in May of 1951, Joint Chiefs Head General Omar Bradley said of Douglas Macarthur’s idea to expand the Korean War to China:
“Red China is not the powerful nation seeking to dominate the world. Frankly, in the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this strategy would involve us in the wrong war, at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and with the wrong enemy.”
- General Omar Bradley (1893-1981)
General Bradley is most known for the following quotation…
“Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner.”
- General Omar Bradley (1893-1981)
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From the conclusion of the USA’s Declaration of Independence, July 4 th, 1776…“And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”
- Thomas Jefferson ((1743-1826)
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used the following words in a sermon delivered over 40 years ago to decribe another of our country's tragic mistakes in policy. As you read it, substitute the word 'Iraq' for 'Vietnam', and see if you, like me, aren't a little haunted by history repeating itself.
“Somehow the madness must cease. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam and the poor of America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home and death and corruption in Vietnam… The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)
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