Principles are eternal. They stem not from our resolution or lack of it, but from elsewhere where, in patient and infinite ranks, they simply wait to be called. They can be read in history. They arise as if of their own accord when in the face of danger natural courage comes into play and honor and defiance are born. Things such as courage and honor are the mortal equivalent of certain laws written throughout the universe. The rules of symmetry and proportion, the laws of physics, the perfection of mathematics, even the principle of uncertainty, are encouragement, entirely independent of the vagaries of human will, that not only natural law but our own best aspirations have a life of their own. They have lasted through far greater abuse than abuses them now. They can be neglected, but they cannot be lost. They can be thrown down, but they cannot be broken.
Each of them is a different expression of a single quality, from which each arises in its hour of need. Some come to the fore as others stay back, and then, with changing circumstance, those that have gone unnoticed rise to the occasion.
Rise to the occasion. The principle suggests itself from a phrase, and such principles suggest easily and flow generously. You can grab them out of the air, from phrases, from memories, from images.”
– Mark Helprin ; Statesmanship And Its Betrayal, April 1998
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” No one in the United States should try to overhype this election. This election is a sort of demarcation point, and what really counts now is the effort to have a legitimate political reconciliation, and it’s going to take a massive diplomatic effort and a much more significant outreach to the international community than this administration has been willing to engage in.� Absent that, we will not be successful in Iraq.”
– Sen.John Kerry, Meet The Press, Jan.30 2005.
Helprin/Kerry. Perfect juxtaposition.
I saw the interview this morning, he sounds as though he hasn’t realized he lost the election or he plans to run again. Absolutely pathetic, when asked about Kennedy’s comments he tried to distance himself at first but couldn’t keep from using them as another chance to bash Bush.
On Kerry and Buchanan
John Kerry was on Meet The Press this morning, contradicting himself yet revealing more of himself than he likely intended with regards to the election Iraq.
I used to think international help would have been good, but it wasn’t forthcoming anyway.
Now I’m convinced that so-called help would have just gotten in the way.
And Kennedy? I can understand why someone might vote Democrat, I guess, but how in hell could someone look up to him as some kind of leader? Kennedy is smart enough to see that this change will be earth shaking – and it had nothing to do with his political clan.
I hope you see the irony in using Helprin.He hasn’t been exactly…a positive beacon of hope the past 4 years.
Why kerry and kennedy continue to go out of their way to prove what scumbags they are is beyond me.
I know Helprin has been pessimistic and much more “hawkish” on the middle east than the Bush administration. But when I read Kerry’s statement, his “Statesmanship” came immediately to mind, and I don’t think he’d object to the use of it in this circumstance.
It was worse than pathetic. It was like watching political suicide on national television. You winced and flinched and then BAM, Kerry would shoot himself again. An awful lot of people shook their heads and were very grateful to those 62 million Americans.
Kerry seemed oblivious to the hopes and fears of the human beings standing in those lines. It was awful. I would never want that man to represent the US.
You know John Kerry gave a toast at my wedding? The toast was “The hardest part has just begun. More than half of all marriages end in divorce. Cheers!” All the guests thought, “Man, what a statesman.”
No, wait, not statesman. I meant shithead.