I've always loved American history and even today I enjoy studying about our former Presidents and other leaders to see what made them tick. One of my favorites for study has always been Teddy Roosevelt, a man of small stature who had severe asthma as a youngster but was determined to overcome his his weaknesses and develop a mystique that would capture the heart of America.
He spent time as a teenager and young man in the Dakotas learning how to survive and live in the great outdoors and, in the process, conquered his asthma and developed a passion for nature and all of her creatures. He loved the cowboy way and became a pretty good boxer as well. His grit came to serve him well as a cavalry officer in the Spanish-American War.
While I know some say he was one of the principal creators of the Progressive cause, he nonetheless showed great courage while fighting in Cuba, clawed his way into a position of power and was the leading political sponsor of the creation of our national parks. And the one slogan by which America and the world knew him, "Speak Softly But Carry a Big Stick", came from his willingness to use the threat of American power, be it a battleship off the coast of South America in support of the Panama Canal project or the landing of Marines in North Africa to save an American citizen, all knew that Teddy Roosevelt was not a man to be taken lightly. American sovereignty and American initiative were never in doubt under his leadership. Whatever else might have been thought of him, no one ever doubted his love for America.
Contrast his image and slogan with an offshoot slogan that I think should be applied to President Obama: Speak Loudly but Carry No Stick......Unless. What was that, you say? Well let me explain. I think you can all understand the first part of the slogan, for Obama clearly speaks as if he is the strongest man in the room but then fails to ever back it up on the international scene. From his early days of apologizing for America to his current unwillingness to even attempt to gain the release of our Marine in Mexico while allowing the rest of the world free entry, he and his representatives have become the laughing stock of the world. Secretary of State John Kerry routinely puts his foot in his mouth and alienates those who should be our friends. The foreign policy of this team usually sides with those who hate us while rebuking those who share traditional American values, like Israel.
And on those rare occasions where he talks tough to foreign nations, it is always all talk, no bite. That's why I came up with the comment about speaking loudly but carrying no stick. But I'll bet you wonder what the
.......UNLESS means, right?
He spent time as a teenager and young man in the Dakotas learning how to survive and live in the great outdoors and, in the process, conquered his asthma and developed a passion for nature and all of her creatures. He loved the cowboy way and became a pretty good boxer as well. His grit came to serve him well as a cavalry officer in the Spanish-American War.
While I know some say he was one of the principal creators of the Progressive cause, he nonetheless showed great courage while fighting in Cuba, clawed his way into a position of power and was the leading political sponsor of the creation of our national parks. And the one slogan by which America and the world knew him, "Speak Softly But Carry a Big Stick", came from his willingness to use the threat of American power, be it a battleship off the coast of South America in support of the Panama Canal project or the landing of Marines in North Africa to save an American citizen, all knew that Teddy Roosevelt was not a man to be taken lightly. American sovereignty and American initiative were never in doubt under his leadership. Whatever else might have been thought of him, no one ever doubted his love for America.
Contrast his image and slogan with an offshoot slogan that I think should be applied to President Obama: Speak Loudly but Carry No Stick......Unless. What was that, you say? Well let me explain. I think you can all understand the first part of the slogan, for Obama clearly speaks as if he is the strongest man in the room but then fails to ever back it up on the international scene. From his early days of apologizing for America to his current unwillingness to even attempt to gain the release of our Marine in Mexico while allowing the rest of the world free entry, he and his representatives have become the laughing stock of the world. Secretary of State John Kerry routinely puts his foot in his mouth and alienates those who should be our friends. The foreign policy of this team usually sides with those who hate us while rebuking those who share traditional American values, like Israel.
And on those rare occasions where he talks tough to foreign nations, it is always all talk, no bite. That's why I came up with the comment about speaking loudly but carrying no stick. But I'll bet you wonder what the
.......UNLESS means, right?
Simply put, it's this. Obama is happy to apply the use of the big stick when dealing with those who disagree with him in America. The big stick is evident in the treatment of our veterans at the VA, the harassment of good conservative Americans by the IRS, and the relegation of our Border Patrol to babysiting duty instead of protecting the border. And to add insult to injury, today he even dissed a couple of our national heroes, former astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins at the White House by not allowing press coverage of the brief event. The reason? He was in a hurry to go to another fund raiser, the only thing that seems to really get his undivided attention.
So I can imagine that the ghost of Old Teddy wanders around his Sagamore Hill estate on Long Island wondering what happened to America. How could she elect a man with such un-American values and actions? And how could so many people with similar ideals have been available to serve his destructive goals? I wish I could answer that, Teddy, but I can't, but I guess history will provide us with the answer unless we fail to survive.
Stand up for America, folks. It's crunch time. We all must vow to pay attention and do our own homework at election time so that we never make such a big mistake as a nation again. We are very near the tipping point. Let's not allow the land we live to go over the cliff.
So I can imagine that the ghost of Old Teddy wanders around his Sagamore Hill estate on Long Island wondering what happened to America. How could she elect a man with such un-American values and actions? And how could so many people with similar ideals have been available to serve his destructive goals? I wish I could answer that, Teddy, but I can't, but I guess history will provide us with the answer unless we fail to survive.
Stand up for America, folks. It's crunch time. We all must vow to pay attention and do our own homework at election time so that we never make such a big mistake as a nation again. We are very near the tipping point. Let's not allow the land we live to go over the cliff.
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