Mr. Obama, Tear Down Your Wall!: Reflections After 20 Years
by Derek BroesI recently attended an event at The Ronald Reagan Presidential Museum celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The event titled: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Wall: Reflections from Yesterday, Lessons for Today, was a conference packed with an impressive list of speakers ranging from world leaders, dignitaries and influential personalities from around the world.
–
The event was comprised of three panel sessions and a luncheon keynote speech. The goal of the conference was to look at specific events that led to the fall of the wall, the people responsible, the impact of that historic event, and the legacy of the man who led the charge to end the Cold War, Ronald Reagan. There were two sessions that stood out at this event. The first was the keynote speech by former Secretary of State for Ronald Reagan, George P Shultz. His speech shed light into the unique leadership Ronald Reagan provided that we fail to find in our elected officials today. Shultz delivered a rare look into the mindset of the Soviets at the time, and the determination and constancy of purpose that Reagan possessed. He spoke of how Reagan approached the use of force with a subtle pot shot at the Obama administration.
Although he didn’t mention Obama by name, he spoke of the time when the U.S. invaded Grenada. Reagan sought counsel from his military leaders on the invasion strategy. His Generals asked for a specific number of troops to successfully invade and rescue the 250 Americans being held hostage. Reagan responded by saying, “Take that number and double it, there will be less casualties on both sides.” Shultz went on to say, “Today the General on the ground in Afghanistan requested 40,000 more troops from the President, and the President responded with ‘I’ll get back to you on that.’ That would be unconscionable in a Reagan White House,” concluded Shultz — to long applause from the roughly 500 in attendances.
Shultz spoke of Reagan as a man of humility who believed, “One man can accomplish great things as long as he doesn’t care who gets the credit.” Everyone who spoke during this event agreed Reagan was never comfortable with the credit he was given for ending the Cold War because so many people were part of the solution. It was clear the humility of Reagan had a lasting effect on all who worked with him and it was also very clear that humility was something we are not seeing in the current President.
Former White House speechwriter for Reagan and drafter of the famous “Tear down this Wall” speech, Peter Robinson, commenting on the personality of Reagan said, “Reagan would have said, ’No thank you, I don’t deserve the Nobel Peace Prize.’” Robinson also spoke of the harsh resistance Reagan received from bureaucrats throughout the government about the line in his Berlin Wall speech: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Reagan asked all of his advisors their thoughts about removing the line from the speech and they all agreed it should be removed. Reagan responded by saying, “I’m the President and it’s my decision, right? The line stay’s in.” He reflected that Reagan delivering that line was a special time in many Soviet occupied countries.
Mart Laar, former Prime Minster for Estonia, mentioned that Reagan’s principles helped him construct a system in Estonia with privatization and a flat tax that led to a strong economy for his citizens. Laar said, “I have a picture of Reagan in my office. When panelist Steve Forbes was asked if there was an unfinished legacy after the fall of the wall, Forbes replied: “Yes, we don’t have a picture of Reagan in OUR President’s office.”
Throughout this event there was one consistent message, a message that left me more concerned about the direction of our country than ever. Czech President Vaclav Kalus expressed concern with our current administration and its policies saying the U.S.A. is becoming a Marxist country. Mart Laar screamed to the crowd, “Remember, people, YOU WON THE COLD WAR!” Poland’s head economist warned us that there is truly no freedom without capitalism. These comments made me realize that former communist countries, their leaders and people know far more about Marxism and communism than we ever will. They know the smell, the taste and the effects of tyranny. They are more familiar with freedom and liberty because it’s fresh in their mind. In fact, these leaders sounded more like our Founders than our current leaders do and want to see a strong America comprised of people from all nations that stands for liberty and freedom and not big government controlling industries and taking over private companies.
During the event I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with many of these world leaders and dignitaries. People like Nancy Regan, Ed Meese (United States Attorney General, 1985-1988); Richard Allen (National Security Advisor, 1981-1982), John Lehman (Secretary of the Navy, 1981-1987), Lord Charles Powell (Foreign Advisor to Margaret Thatcher, 1983-1990) and Czech President Klaus.
Why is it that our media doesn’t speak to these leaders and reveal their thoughts on the present direction of our country? Could it be that they think it would confirm the Tea Party protesters’ concerns? I think so. Whatever the case, during this 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and end of the Cold War, we need to turn to those who understand how to defeat tyranny and recognize who in our government is advancing that tyranny.
We need to find leaders that think like Reagan, the man who said, “Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty.” America has an enemy in the White House and many more in Congress. It’s time we demand. “MR.OBAMA, TEAR DOWN YOUR WALL.”
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Tips & Feedback
31 Comments
More like "Big government, tear down your wall"
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Big Hollywood, Michael Chavez. Michael Chavez said: Mr. Obama, Tear Down Your Wall!: Reflections After 20 Years http://bit.ly/1A9Ujk [...]
… former communist countries, their leaders and people know far more about Marxism and communism than we ever will. They know the smell, the taste and the effects of tyranny.
The problem with America is that it is now largely composed of people who have never known tyranny or oppression and thus cannot recognize it when it appears. I suspect that in another ten years, that will no longer be a problem.
"Although he didn’t mention Obama by name, he spoke of the time when the U.S. invaded Grenada. Reagan sought counsel from his military leaders on the invasion strategy."
Did the speaker also talk about how the Granada invasion took place while we quickly removed our troops from Beirut after 220 marines were killed by a car bomb two days before? Did Reagan consult his military advisers about sending more troops into Beirut? Or was the Grenada invasion meant to take the massacre of marines off the front page?
Excellent article! Brought tears to my eyes hearing Reagan's strong, firm voice of conviction, of reading how former Communist countries and their leaders have a better understanding of liberty and tyranny than we do.
But since Pelosi (and probably the rest of the clown circus in D.C.) doesn't think that the constitutionality of the Health Care Bill is a "serious" question, I guess maybe we really are finished, unless we can vote them out of office . . . and soon.
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by Erudite_Enigma: Mr. Obama, Tear Down Your Wall!: Reflections After 20 Years http://bit.ly/1A9Ujk…
I think the reason Comrade Obama didn't attend the ceremonies was because he was in 'mourning" over the fall of the wall and the end of communism. It was truly a sad day for him.
It is truly telling that the countries which have given us the most support in recent years, including the Iraq War, and given conservatives so much to admire in their leaders, are those that suffered behind the Iron Curtain. They can still remember when words like "liberty" and "tyranny" were not just words, they meant so much more. It will be a sad day indeed for Western Europe, but a glorious one for their Eastern counterparts, if the beacon of Western Civilization passes from London, Paris, and Rome to Warsaw, Prague, and Bucharest. May they continue to produce the likes of Lech Walesa and Vaclav Klaus.
Well no Cannonbal8, the speaker made no mention of Grenada or Beirut seeing as how there is absolutely no connection between either of those places and the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Wall you see was located in Germany, that's part of Europe. Nice effort though, better luck next time.
I'm afraid it is much worse than that Jake. Many on the left today believe that tyranny and oppression are somehow COOL. Have you seen the amount of Che and Mao merchandising circulating in Hollywood lately? I guess that is just another indictment of how inept our school system is today.
Just two years ago my family and I were living in eastern Germany. Every single day we walked past a giant bust of Marx and it always gave me the heebie-jeebies. We met so many people who had lived under government tyranny and oppression. Even 20 years later the scars are still there. It worries me greatly that our own goverment seems to be moving further and further to the left. Please, please wise up, America.
[...] In It For Me? … Besides, Why Would I Celebrate The Fall Of Communism? Derek Broes, Big Hollywood: Mr. Obama, Tear Down Your Wall!: Reflections After 20 Years John Loudon, Big Government: To Our Friends in Europe, We Apologize for Our President Toby Harnden, [...]
[...] Ztower: Hey! Did the Germans just give my car company the finger? Derek Broes, Big Hollywood: Mr. Obama, Tear Down Your Wall!: Reflections After 20 Years The Black Kettle: Communists don’t celebrate Capitalist Free-World successes, they ignore them [...]
Great article, Derek!! Thank you for highlighting what needs to be stressed here, Europe emigrants' view of the U.S. Reagan would agree. Reagan's passion was to end communism, now we seem to be ramping up for it. Reagan finally arrived at the presidency at a critical time for the U.S. to execute a monumental task. The balance of "peace through strength" won the cold war and rallied our founding principles when they were despaired. That good fight is buried in a lost-and-found somewhere in Washington and certainly on hold during the current administration.
[...] the fall of the wall. One wonders that he has time to fail at bringing the Olympics home but not to celebrate an American victory over Communism won by a conservative and revered president. Check out the video of Reagan at the [...]
Cannonball8 – Lest you forget Nimrod, the Marines were part of the Multi National Peacekeeping force and were attacked by terrorists known as Hezbollah. Grenada, was a corrective action to free American students and then President Ronal Reagan remembering the Homicide bombing in Beirut factored in additional forces to be swift and tidy in the freeing of the hostage students.
And of course you leftist puke , niether one of these has anything to do with the fact that it was President Reagan that brought down the USSR and freed millions of oppressed people in the Eastern Bloc. And, by the way what has your Boy Wonder done besides lose the Olympics and recieve an award he did nothing to earn? Hmmm? He still has American troops under supplied, understaffed and in a quagmire because he had to f**k off in Sweden and then trepse around the USA trying to sell his health welfare program. He's on track to ruin the greatest nation that has done more for the rest of the world than any other. He's in the tank to complete the North American Union that will see our prosperity go to the Mexican and Canadian Government. People like you make me sick.
And, by the way dipstick, if it wasn't for James Earl Carter, the Iranians would have never become the terrorist produceers they were then and are now. IF he had supported the Shah, instead of watching from the bleacher section, the Marines, US Navy, and French Paratroopers would still be alive and Grenada would never have occurred. Liberal twit.
I posted this on another thread but it was at the end and I don't think it was really seen. Actually, I'm going to keep posting it and if you read it, you'll know why. These people are everywhere (and obviously in America) and they won't ever stop.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1225637/H...
It all sounds too familiar.
When is our brave, consistent media going to demand that the wall in Israel be torn down?
I guess doing that would be more dangerous to their careers than if they wandered into the mine fields that surrounded the Berlin wall.
OBUMMER would not be fit to shine Ronaldus Magnum's cowboy boots.
http://noliberalspin.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/...
The Anti Liberal Zone
Duh One celebrated by laying a stack of bricks and a bag of cement at the site of the wall.
I love confronting people that wear those shirts and asking them if they know what they stand for. Most have no clue or say it is an image from the punk era. Those that know and act like they are in agreement normally are woefully ignorant of the activities of thier idols.
A few years back, I attended a party given by a few film students I worked with on a sci fi/horror project. There on their wall was a big picture of Che. When chatting with one of them (one of the smarter of the bunch) I asked him if he ever studied up about him and suggested he should look him up and in depth.
At another gathering in the same house, one week later, that picture was gone.
Times like that give me hope for the youth of today.
The wall at East Berlin was put in place to keep their SUBJECTS from escaping. The one at Israel is there to keep murderers out. A bit of a difference there. As far as the Media is concerned though, they side with Hamas and the other terrorists all the time so where is your point?
RONALD REAGAN FOR PERMANENT DEITY. Let there be no other Gods but Reagan.
such staunch capitalists the founders were! let's ignore article 1 section 8…or have you read it?
I'm disappointed in him for not attending. I think he may feel averse
to something that represents such a monumental failure of socialism,
since he seems to be all for it.
[...] In It For Me? … Besides, Why Would I Celebrate The Fall Of Communism? Derek Broes, Big Hollywood: Mr. Obama, Tear Down Your Wall!: Reflections After 20 Years John Loudon, Big Government: To Our Friends in Europe, We Apologize for Our President Frugal [...]
Not inept. Criminal. Ineptitude in the cause of their socialist agenda would be something worth celebrating. No such luck. They are very good at what they are doing and have had many years of practice to hone it into an artform.
Got a witness! Amen to that!
Not to mention Reagan would have never bowed to the Saudi King.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd425zfw5Ew
You must be logged in to post a comment.