When Would George Washington Have Quit?

[thedrifter]

When Would George Washington Have Quit?
by Christopher Flickinger
Posted Nov 1, 2005

The next time you see a college student ask him or her, “How many colonial soldiers were killed by the British before George Washington called it quits and put an end to American’s war for independence?” Don’t be surprised if you actually get a number.

On Wednesday night, October 26th, college students across the nation participated in various anti-war protests or, as many of them referred to it, vigils commemorating the 2,000 military deaths in Iraq. These so called “vigils” included much more than candles and Kumbaya.

In New Haven, Connecticut, students from Yale attended a vigil where the lyrics to Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War” were handed-out and John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance” was sung. In Greensboro, North Carolina, dozens gathered on the Guilford College campus proclaiming, “Not one more death, not one more dollar.” In Gainesville, students from the University of Florida joined others in an anti-war protest. And, in Evanston, Illinois, students from Northwestern University took part in an anti-war protest where signs read “Let the dead teach the living,” and “How many more?”

The loss of 2,000 lives is tragic. In fact, the loss of even one life is heartbreaking. But, to pick some sort of magical “death toll number” as to when America should tuck its tail between its legs and run is down right un-American! They want to know, “How many more?” The answer is: “As many as it takes.” The price of 2,000 lives over a two and a half year period – for the cause of freedom – is small compared to what our forefathers paid.

August 6, 1777: almost 500 colonial soldiers were killed by the British in Upstate New York. Did George Washington quit after losing 500 men in one day? No. He went on and won the Revolutionary War.

September 17, 1862: more than 26,000 soldiers – including some 12,000 Union soldiers – died in the Battle of Antietam. President Lincoln lost 12,000 men in one day, but did he quit? No.

July 1863: after a three day battle in the town of Gettysburg, more than 51,000 men lay dead including 23,000 Union soldiers. It was regarded as a major victory for the North and a turning point in the Civil War.

June 6, 1944 – D-Day: Allied forces sustained an estimated 10,000 casualties after storming the beaches of Normandy, France. But, General Dwight D. Eisenhower pressed his troops onward and won World War II.

Indeed, let the dead teach the living! There is no price, no number too great for the cause of freedom.

Unfortunately, these are not the sentiments of some of those within our nation’s institutions of higher learning. While they enjoy the benefits of freedom provided by our forefathers, they mock and forget the costs of upholding it. One student told the Yale Daily News, “I think [the war] is a waste of time, energy and lives, and is about money, not democracy. …There’s been talk of a voluntary draft…I am afraid of a draft and everyone should be, with the frequency of casualties.”

George Washington must be turning over in his grave! What would the Father of our country have said to someone making these types of comments during America’s fight for independence: “You, coward.”

Those who have tasted freedom should be the most adamant about defending and promoting it. But, today this is not the case. While most of us are grateful for the brave men and women who voluntarily enlist and serve our country for the cause of freedom, others seemingly wish to withhold this precious gift from those in need by recalling the men and women who share it. Still others fear and dread that, should it be necessary, one day they may be called upon to serve our country. Nathan Hale, a Revolutionary War hero who regretted that he had but one life to give for this country, would be appalled.

Those who took part in these so called “vigils” and anti-war protests across the country should remember the price our forefathers paid for freedom and the costs we must endure to uphold it. All of us, especially those within our nation’s institutions of higher learning, should heed the words of Patrick Henry:

Gentleman may cry peace, peace, but there is no peace. …Our brethren are already in the field. …What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me give me liberty, or give me death!

Ellie

[CAR]

AMEN!

[Joseph P Carey]

May I also remind people that Lincoln was not a popular president with the public, and the opposition did everything they could to keep the Union Soldiers from voting in the Presidential Elections. It was not the public so much as it was the Soldier and the families of the Soldier that reelected Lincoln for a second term. It is the same as now, People that have given nothing have no idea of what it is they may lose without fighting for it!

[greensideout]

What does that have to do with Iraq? We are not fighting there for freedom. At least not ours.

[Joseph P Carey]

What does that have to do with Iraq? We are not fighting there for freedom. At least not ours.

GSO, you may be very wrong on that statement! The only reason we are there at all for this long is because our Congress quit us once before in Vietnam. When you get a rep for being beatable, it sticks with you like the smell of a skunk, as is the story of the French! The enemy knows it does not have to beat us militarily, only politically, and you are falling right in line for them with that statement!

We are fighting for Democracy over Theocracy in Iraq, and Democracy will save the world, while Theocracy will destroy it. Even here in the USA we have a political battle of sorts between Democracy and Theocracy. Hopefully, Democracy wins here as well!

[greensideout]

JPC, you may be wrong on your statement, "Democracy will save the world". A joke right? A representive government is the way to freedom. That's what America is supposed to be. So let's spread that instead!

[Joseph P Carey]

JPC, you may be wrong on your statement, "Democracy will save the world". A joke right? A representive government is the way to freedom. That's what America is supposed to be. So let's spread that instead!

Democracy is good enough in a Homogeneous Society. Not everyone has the good fortune of being raised in a melting pot like we were in the USA, but it is a start to a better world!

[greensideout]

Democracy is good enough in a Homogeneous Society. Not everyone has the good fortune of being raised in a melting pot like we were in the USA, but it is a start to a better world!

There ya go again! Homogeneous and melting pot is a non fit. I think that you and I would agree that saving parts of the world by war is folly.

[Joseph P Carey]

You can't shoot everybody! There just are not enough rounds of ammunition and well aimed shots!

No! War is not the answer for all situations, but Iraq is where it was needed!

[junker316]

GSO, JPC
If war is so favorable or unfavorable what difference has it made to our Governement? We are still fighting in Iraq, we are still the world's police force, we are still doing the very things in the US that would make our forefathers turn in their grave. We have allowed our nation to change to fit the rest of the world's needs. We have allowed the very esentials to be removed from our buildings, schools, and other national places because they were offencive to some-one of another nation. I shouldn't be saying " we " but our Government. Our forefathers would not be very happy with things being ran the way they are. Goerge Washington would be fit to be tied and Thomas Jefferson would have flipped his lid by now. Abraham Lincoln would become aggressive against our Government and run for his third term in office...even as a skeleton. What our Government needs to do is quit playing " World Hero " and find a way to sovle the problems of America before trying to sovle the rest of the world's problems.

[greensideout]

I could not agree more junker316. The truth is, I'm sorry to say, is that we have already crossed the bridge to world government and it appears that there is no way back. Kind of like the Titanic, we can't get the country turned around to what it should be before we hit disaster.

[Joseph P Carey]

Poor guys! We are not the flower covered float in the parade! Gee! Just how do you think this country has gotten to where it is today? We have started more wars in the world than any other country for a reason. It is nothing new to us! We have been doing it since the Treaty in Paris with the Brits. Most of our country was taken from someone else one way or another. It is the nature of the beast we have always been, and I for one am proud of it, because to paraphrase one of our great statesmen, "A world divided can not long stand divided!" We have gotten rid of the American Indians that stood in our way; we have gotten rid of the European Monarchies that stood in our way; we have gotten rid of the Major Communist Countries that stood in our way; and now we are getting rid of the islamic that are standing in our way. Soon, the EU will Implode, and in the next Twenty Years we will get rid of the UN and we become the United States of the World: The world united under one house! It is the only way to insure peace in the world.

[sgt.r.n.davis]

Look Towards France, They Have Been Against This War And Did Not Support The USA. But They Are Under Siege Now ,9 Cities And 300 Towns Are Burning And Possibly More.
80 Police Officer Have Been Wounded In 12 Days.why?
They Haven't Even Called Out There Army!!! Why? The News Calls The Rioters Youths Or Just Young Men!!! Why?

This World Better Wake Up Soon Before Its Too Late!!!
These People Declared War On Americans And Christians And Anyone Else That Does Not Follow Their Believes..

Read The History Of Their Past. They Want Too Repeat It Over And Over Till They Rule!!!

Gentlemen Please I Beg You, Stop Fighting Within Your Border And Unite!! As American's !!! Stand Tall And Be Counted!!! Why? Because We Don't Want To Wait Till Tomorrow,that Would Be Possibly One Day To Late...

[junker316]

Sounds to me like Hitler, Ghangis Khan, Nepoleon, and all the other so called world Conquers wound be pround to hear to your statements. But look again in history. Any-one who has tried to conquer the world has lost everything they had to begin with. They weren't a people anymore and the strength they thought they had was ripped from them. Hitler thought that once Germany conquered Europe and Africa that they would easily beat Japan and rule the world. Ghangis Khan believed that once he had the entire world at his feet that every-one would bow to him. Even the Romans tried it and Greeks. Look what happened to them. Egypt thought it ruled everything at one time. Then they were conquered themselves. The Germans tried it twice and guess what...they lost. Every nation that has so far tried to conquer the world has dropped to mere petty nations. Fighting within and without and being forced to decide if it was worth it to lose what they had. Even taken out the Bible that no single land will rule the entire world. It will be stopped and destoried. You can go as far back as Babylon and see that world domination never suceeded. There was always some other nation willing to stop the nation trying to conquer the world. History should tell you that it will never happen. Not in our life time or in any other. We are to help promote peace and freedom not again hold cursades and attempt to conquer nations and rule this world under us. It has been tried and failed over and over again. You may be proud that our nation is built on taken things from others and treating those that were taken from like subservants. I'm not. I am proud that we have servived many wars and am able to have the freedom that our forefathers fought and died for. I am really proud that we as a nation are able to keep that freedom and peace within our borders and help others to find it and use it. But if keeping everything that was conquered by the US then why is not Kuwait ours, or France, or any other nation that we freed from thier invaders. Because it isn't the American way.

Poor guys! We are not the flower covered float in the parade! Gee! Just how do you think this country has gotten to where it is today? We have started more wars in the world than any other country for a reason. It is nothing new to us! We have been doing it since the Treaty in Paris with the Brits. Most of our country was taken from someone else one way or another. It is the nature of the beast we have always been, and I for one am proud of it, because to paraphrase one of our great statesmen, "A world divided can not long stand divided!" We have gotten rid of the American Indians that stood in our way; we have gotten rid of the European Monarchies that stood in our way; we have gotten rid of the Major Communist Countries that stood in our way; and now we are getting rid of the islamic that are standing in our way. Soon, the EU will Implode, and in the next Twenty Years we will get rid of the UN and we become the United States of the World: The world united under one house! It is the only way to insure peace in the world.

[greensideout]

Poor guys! We are not the flower covered float in the parade! Gee! Just how do you think this country has gotten to where it is today? We have started more wars in the world than any other country for a reason. It is nothing new to us! We have been doing it since the Treaty in Paris with the Brits. Most of our country was taken from someone else one way or another. It is the nature of the beast we have always been, and I for one am proud of it, because to paraphrase one of our great statesmen, "A world divided can not long stand divided!" We have gotten rid of the American Indians that stood in our way; we have gotten rid of the European Monarchies that stood in our way; we have gotten rid of the Major Communist Countries that stood in our way; and now we are getting rid of the islamic that are standing in our way. Soon, the EU will Implode, and in the next Twenty Years we will get rid of the UN and we become the United States of the World: The world united under one house! It is the only way to insure peace in the world.

"The world united under one house! It is the only way to insure peace in the world."
Yep, if it's God's house there will be peace.