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Quotational Therapy: Part 81 -- Dick Cheney.

Cheney, On Freedom In The Middle East-

While establishment journalists such as NBC's David Gregory openly display disdain for Vice-President Dick Cheney, declaring almost unanimously that Cheney has some sort of dark, cynical, pessimistic view of Islam and of the world, the truth is that Cheney, like his boss, is a believer in the power of freedom to ultimately change the Middle East.

Dick Cheney is an optimist and a far more upbeat guy than anyone seems to give him credit for. Having been around him in person, I can testify that he rarely snarls and frowns, although nearly every photo in the media shows him doing so. He has a great sense of humor, and although it's clear that he has quite a lot weighing on his mind at any given moment, he has a penchant for spontaneous jolliness and wit.

If there's one thing the Veep is cynical and pessimistic and negative about, it's the establishment media. Thus, David Gregory and company are merely projecting their own negative vibes onto the rest of the world. Newsflash for the news people: Cheney doesn't hate the rest of the world, just you.

Unfortunately, our media has failed to get us the straight skinny on Dick Cheney. So here's an excerpt from speech from March 7, 2006:

It is not hard to see why the terrorists oppose and rage against the rise of democracy in Iraq. They know that as liberty advances, as men and women are given a say in the affairs of their country, they turn their creative gifts to the pursuits of peace. People who live in freedom are able to choose their own destiny, and this gives them real hope for material progress in their own lives, and a better future for their children. As democracy advances, ideologies that stir anger and hostility lose their appeal, and terrorists lose recruits, safe havens, and sources of funding.

For that reason, our strategy for victory in the war on terror has a fifth and crucial element: Across the broader Middle East, we will work to replace hatred and resentment with democracy and hope. (Applause.)

Supporting political freedom and peaceful change in a troubled part of the world is a long-term commitment. And we already know that the work will be difficult. Yet there is no alternative. On 9/11, the United States learned that problems boiling in a far-off region of the world could lead directly to a sudden and murderous attack right here on our own soil. For decades in the Middle East, millions of people have known nothing but dictatorship and heavy-handed rule -- resulting in misery, bitterness, and the ideologies of violence. If we simply accept the status quo, that region will be a source of conflict and mounting violence for this generation and beyond.

If the peoples of that region are given the rights of free men and women, and live under elected, accountable governments, and have a chance to work and succeed in hopeful societies, then the flow of radicalism and hate will one day come to an end.

In this way, as the President has said, America's ideals and interests are one and the same: The survival of liberty in our own land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands; the best hope for peace in the world is the expansion of freedom throughout the world. (Applause.)

As Americans, we have faith in democracy, but no illusions. We know that it takes time and effort and patience for democratic values and free institutions to take hold, and the greater Middle East has a long way to go. The promise of democracy rests ultimately on free elections and the ability of free peoples to hold accountable those who govern them -- but that is only the beginning.

A functioning democracy requires institutions that endure beyond a single vote. Democracy requires the protection of minority rights, religious liberty, equality before the law, freedom of expression, and an inclusive society in which every person belongs. And those who win elections have a duty to nurture institutions and laws that serve the peaceful aspirations of their people.

Read the entire speech here.

Previous Quotational Therapy Session:

Abajo Fidel.

The right quote can be therapeutic, so tune in to WILLisms.com for quotational therapy on Monday and Friday.

Posted by Will Franklin · 13 March 2006 11:05 AM

Comments

Posted by: Zsa Zsa at March 13, 2006 07:06 PM

Posted by: MLS Mexico at April 21, 2006 04:01 AM