We Must Rise with the Occasion

Abraham Lincoln, with his squeaky voice, and gawky looks, who once said to a detractor, "Sir, if I were two faced, would I wear this one?", and whose place in our national pantheon is assured, is well remembered for words such as these: "The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. "

Closer to us in time, Ronald Reagan': "Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have. " ( See, Lebanon, middle eastern country, 150,000 people in Martyr's Square. )

And from the man first in the heart of his country: "Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth."

And these words, from the President, the man who, when the current prating media coxcombs are dust; and the academic stalwarts are, with obscurity consigned to clay; and the loony-lefty masses forgotten, sunk in the stinking marshes that breed them; The President, fratboy and wastrel, will be seen anew. His words can be heard and seen today, one needs but to listen:

"No matter how long it takes, no matter how difficult the task, we will fight the enemy, and lift the shadow of fear, and lead free nations to victory. (Applause.) " (I seem to have heard something like this before..."We shall fight in the fields,and in the streets...")

"Our country is still the target of terrorists who want to kill many, and intimidate us all. We will stay on the offensive against them, until the fight is won. (Applause.) "

"Members of our military are undertaking difficult missions, in some of the most dangerous and desolate parts of the world. These volunteers know the risks they face, and they know the cause they serve...In this vital cause, some of our men and women in uniform have fallen, some have returned home with terrible injuries, and all who sacrifice will have the permanent gratitude of the United States of America. (Applause.) "

"Americans, of all people, should not be surprised by freedom's power. A nation founded on the universal claim of individual rights should not be surprised when other people claim those rights. Those who place their hope in freedom may be attacked and challenged, but they will not ultimately be disappointed, because freedom is the design of humanity and freedom is the direction of history. (Applause.) "

"We made a decision to stop threats to the American people before they arrive on our shores, and we have acted on that decision. We're also determined to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world. (Applause.) "

The world is rising up to the occasion of Liberty, and we, the People, are in the company of one who has also risen up.