"Open This Gate"

Let me take the occasion of Barack Obama's speech in Berlin today to remember the words of another American to give a speech in that city. An actual American President, a man, a leader with clear moral conviction and courage.

On June 12, 1987 Ronald Reagan stood in front of the Brandenburg Gate and gave a speech that would, in part, define the legacy of his presidency and frame his memory in the minds of many Americans. You can read and listen to the entire speech here. Worth the time. I'll quote just a couple highlights:

...In the 1950s -- In the 1950s Khrushchev predicted: "We will bury you."

But in the West today, we see a free world that has achieved a level of prosperity and well-being unprecedented in all human history. In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards of health, even want of the most basic kind -- too little food. Even today, the Soviet Union still cannot feed itself. After these four decades, then, there stands before the entire world one great and inescapable conclusion: Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor...

...There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace.

General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate.

Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate.

Mr. Gorbachev -- Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

"Freedom is the victor." "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Fantastic stuff, well delivered lines from a man that believed them. (As an aside, there is one other politician in recent memory that still talks this way, George W. Bush. Seriously. He believes it too)
One more section, then you'll have to listen to the rest yourself. I found this especially interesting with our current situation as we struggle with how to handle the threat of terrorism and a nuclear Middle Eastern power:

While we pursue these arms reductions, I pledge to you that we will maintain the capacity to deter Soviet aggression at any level at which it might occur. And in cooperation with many of our allies, the United States is pursuing the Strategic Defense Initiative -- research to base deterrence not on the threat of offensive retaliation, but on defenses that truly defend; on systems, in short, that will not target populations, but shield them. By these means we seek to increase the safety of Europe and all the world. But we must remember a crucial fact: East and West do not mistrust each other because we are armed; we are armed because we mistrust each other. And our differences are not about weapons but about liberty. When President Kennedy spoke at the City Hall those 24 years ago, freedom was encircled; Berlin was under siege. And today, despite all the pressures upon this city, Berlin stands secure in its liberty. And freedom itself is transforming the globe.
(emphasis mine)

Excellent, just excellent. We "do not mistrust each other because we are armed; we are armed because we mistrust each other." If only more politicians grasped this basic concept and were willing to say it out loud. It was true then, it's true now. Too many people feel that if only we dropped our guns (figuratively and literally) then suddenly our enemies would love and adore us. We have guns because we have enemies, not the other way around.

Barack Obama may be able make the press go weak in the knees with his careful speeches and PC platitudes. He may be able to strut and preen around Europe playing at being president. But it is only possible because of great leaders like Reagan who went before.

~ Gabriel

(photo: Reineke © BPA)