Are you ready?
Here it is: Even when we were Democrats, we always secretly admired the mascot of the Republican Party. The GOP had this imposing though nonetheless graceful beast -- the elephant. And as Democrats, we were stuck with that scrawny little jackass.
There really was no comparison.
Of course, we didn't switch parties just because of a mascot. No, that switch was about Jimmy Carter and thankfully it lead us into the arms of Ronald Reagan and a more grown-up philosophy that embraces both common-sense and commonality.
Having the elephant as our sidekick is a bonus.
But, think about it: Elephants are more social, they're more caring, they're more loving -- especially to family and others of their group. They actually tend to one another, feel for one another and even grieve for one another. Yet, they can also be ferocious when called for. They're incredibly strong and suprisingly agile. They are also remarkably intelligent animals and not easily cowered. Though they've often been endangered they always manage to avoid extinction. They're tough-skinned. They seem to know how to survive, even in the toughest situations.
When you gaze upon a pachyderm you're bound to say: "Thank God they're still with us. What would we do without them?"
To be a Republican is to know the joy and the meaning and the inspiration of this great, fitting, endearing symbol of our party. And, this too: Elephants never forget.
We never forget how we're treated. We never forget who stood with us and who abandoned us. We never forget who strengthened us and encouraged us and who responded with indifference or, worse yet, mistreated us. We never forget our friends, our family and our country. And we keep confidence and faith in all of these.
This morning in particular, we recall those who declared us dead. Yes, you know who you are. You said the GOP was extinct, finished, kaput. We tried to tell you otherwise, but you wouldn't listen. In fact, you were salivating -- all-but-ready do devour our carcasses.
And when you weren't saying that, you were calling us "weird, irrelevant, out-of-touch, clueless, mean, destrructive, selfish" and just plain dumb. In fact, you characterized us as "imbeciles" and you tagged some of our most fervent and loyal members "lunatics, crazy zealots and nutjobs," often dismissing them as "the fright wing."
Well, you were not only irrational and uncaring yourselves, but you were wrong.
We and our party are stronger, more alive, more diverse and more ready and able to serve today than ever before. Far from being dead, we're more vibrant and relevant today than we've been in 68 years. Instead of being out of touch, we've been proven to be remarkably in sync with the hopes and dreams of our fellow citizens - our national family. And all of this has been reaffirmed by by the unstinting support of the people.
Like the symbol of our party, we stand proud and true - ready to rule, to move mountains if we must in the name of liberty and justice.
Arise!
A majestic force is upon us.
Attention must be paid!
No comments:
Post a Comment