Peace and aggression

From "A Treasury of the World's Great Speeches"

"... If we adhere faithfully to the Charter of the United Nations and walk forward in sedate and sober strength, seeking no one's land or treasure, seeking to lay no arbitrary control upon the thoughts of men; if all British moral and material forces and convictions are joined with your own in fraternal association, the high-roads of the future will be clear, not only for us, but for all, not only for our time, but for a century to come."
Ex-Prime Minister Winston Churchill, "The Sinews of Peace" speech, March 5, 1946

These words, spoken at Missouri's Westminster College in reference to the then new "iron curtain", strike very truthfully and aptly for today, as well. We are presently a major ally with Britian and others on a world stage darkened by the aggression of extremist religion. Perhaps, we in the United States have not heeded some of Churchill's admonishments while confronting this new threat. We should take heart, that, for another 40 years of Winston's dream, we can return to his seasoned wisdom and take the "high-road" to peace.

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Ordinary selves

From "The Oxford Book of Aphorisms"

Everything in our political life tends to hide from us that there is anything wiser than our ordinary selves.

Matthew Arnold, Culture and Anarchy, 1869

The great danger is that our "ordinary selves" in politics is anything less than the highest ethics and morals. Noone gets past themselves in the legislative process without losing his integrity and thus his actions.

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Contempt

From "The Oxford Book of Aphorisms"

In politics nothing is contemptible.

Benjamin Disraeli, Vivian Grey, 1826-7

Thomas Mann said "Everything is politics." I believe Disraeli should have been cynical in mood when he said this, though he is correct. However, there is "good" politics and not so good; a good politician should always strive to hold high ethics and high morals.

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