In Deo speramus

It is perhaps fitting that on the day after Memorial Day, Victor Davis Hanson writes about Obama's "frequent recitals of U.S. history in which the Underground Railroad, the freedom riders, women suffragists, and icons of the civil-rights movement figure prominently." Hanson points out that in almost every reference to America's collective past, Obama mentions some sort of reform and/or protest. Hanson then cautions us against adopting as our heroes only those "who found the system wanting and took it on."

Hanson rightly says that there are many historical figures responsible for our freedom and prosperity and that many of them were not social activists. He suggests that Obama ought to try mentioning a few, "whether an Edison and Bell, people of action and courage like Lewis and Clark or Lindbergh, political figures such as Teddy Roosevelt, and military heroism at places like Gettysburg, the Meuse-Argonne, Okinawa, Chosun, or Hue" and says there is a need to "remind Americans of concrete examples of our exceptionalism, of good works, and of men and women of singular accomplishment".

I wholeheartedly agree. Our nation has birthed many great Citizens who never walked a picket line or marched on Washington D.C. Skepticism and dissent have their place, but we must not ever think an anti-establishment mentality is necessary to Heroism. What is essential are one or more of the following qualities: courage, strength, persistence, the love of justice, honesty, integrity, responsibility, and above all, humility. This list of virtues widens the field considerably. Indeed, I would posit that in addition to our researchers, doctors, nurses, inventors, teachers, writers, and assorted public servants, many of America's greatest citizens are ordinary people attempting to live decent lives in the midst of tremendous personal difficulty.

When I think of Barack and Michelle's seemingly endless harping and complaining, and their focus on an endless parade of negatives, I am reminded of Paul's letter to the Philippians in which he wrote, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things" (Philippians 4:8).

Though we are not a perfect nation, how happy we should be that there is much that is true, noble, just, and good in our history. Ours is not the shameful story some like to tell: an ugly nation of extended injustices interrupted by rare heroic protests. We are more than that.

I will never vote for nor admire a man who thinks that greatness and virtue lie only on our horizon and only through his insight and leadership...rather than behind us and eternally within us by the grace of God. We are not perfect, nor ever have been. But it is God - and not Obama - in whom we hope and trust for redemption, and it is the contemplation not of what is wrong but of all that is good and right that gives us and all our heroes both courage and "the audacity of hope."