A New Birth Of Freedom

The discovery of what is important to live for can be achieved by the process of elimination.

Ask yourself what you’re willing to die for, or alternately, under what conditions and circumstances would you rather be dead than alive? Or, a third alternative may be to ask yourself what you’d be willing to kill for.

The maxim, “I’d rather die on my feet than live on my knees” is a hint in that direction.

The Ukrainian people are now in the crucible that forges the unalloyed steel of basic human values. Home, country, family, freedom; these are the things worth killing, and if need be, dying, to protect.

It is the sentiment revealed in the classic Patrick Henry declaration, “As for me and my family, give me liberty, or give me death.”

It is echoed in Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address. With the fighting in Ukraine in mind, consider these last sentences.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

These sentences touch on universal and timeless principles. Decades can go past during which we may forget — or become distracted by our ease and abundance. But at periodic interludes, mankind is given the opportunity for a new birth of freedom.

Those opportunities—when freedom is born afresh—chart the true progress of humanity and its history more than any economic or technological advances.

We humans of this moment are at just such an inflection point.

There isn’t a tyrant alive who isn’t scared to death of freedom.

That is why Vladimir Putin is trying to crush Ukraine. He is trying to crush the idea and reality of freedom. His existence tells you all you need to know about the freedom of the Russian people. They aren’t. But may they also take courage and have a new birth of freedom.

I’m inspired by the thousands of Russian protesters who’ve stood with Ukraine and against Putin’s unprovoked and criminal aggression.

It isn’t NATO that threatens Russia’s security. NATO isn’t an offensive-minded or empirical organization. Rather, Ukrainian freedom threatens Putin’s personal security. A dictator cannot co-exist with freedom.

And this also explains why China won’t renounce him. Xi and the CCP are terrified of what freedom — embodied in the determination of the Ukrainian people’s willingness to fight and die rather than be subjugated — means for their authoritarian regime.

And that is why, not only the West, but the world, must stand united to see this new birth of freedom occur now, in our time. We must dedicate ourselves to the work which the Ukrainians are fighting for. We must dedicate ourselves to the great task remaining before us. We must highly resolve that the Ukrainian dead shall not have died in vain.

We who claim to love freedom must devote ourselves to it anew. Observe the Ukrainian’s devotion to it and take inspiration there. We must resist the advance of tyranny with our every breath — from the purchases we make to the recognition that if gasoline costs more at the pump, it’s already been paid for with something far more valuable — the blood of Ukrainian freedom fighters.

As you see the news, be mindful, it is not just Ukraine that is under siege. It is not some far-off country that you may have rarely thought of before this attack. No, it’s not just Ukraine under assault. It is freedom itself, so courageously embodied by those in Ukrainian gold and blue.

Let us unite and remain united in the resolution that freedom will prevail and see all governments not of the people, by the people, and for the people eradicated from the earth.