We stood holding signsUnder the stifling Georgian heat.Rallying for continuity,Expecting nothing that day.Like us, your countrymenCry out, but for revolution—For a break from the iron fistOf tyranny.Hatchett versus Hall, our fight—Faint shades of difference.Liberty versus tyranny, theirs—Nightmarish night versus glorious day.You, Belarusian woman—Scion of white Russia,Far from mother’s armsFar from motherland.Your brethren—oppressed but undaunted,Dismissed but …
The great heart of Belarus awakensTo greet this new day.Her face shines brightlyAgainst centuries of subjectionTo ill-fitting lowness.She rises proudly, casts offHer tattered prisoner’s garmentWorn threadbare by generations of toil.She washes her face, cleans her feetRinses from her handsThe grit and grime of oppression.This morning she knows—Liberty awaits her in the open air.This morning she …
The news came of his arrest—Her light, her love, her lifeGone in an instant.They spoke of thisBut she refused to accept it.This time will be differentThey saidSitting in the moonlightFeeling the electric momentHearing the youthful criesHeeding the call to greater freedom.This time truth shall outLies and hatred,Selfish oppression,A lifelong nightmare.Those who seeShall lock armsStare in …
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty." - Thomas Jefferson The ancient Roman system of education called liberalia studia or "liberal studies" has been immensely influential on the modern world. In a nutshell, liberal studies are those which give a man …
The ancient Greeks and Romans had solutions for many of the problems that plague our country today. They recognized that human nature is a double-edged sword and that steps can be taken to mitigate the expression of its lesser qualities while magnifying its finer ones. They understood as well that liberty is not a given, …
"The individual never sees life in the radiant glow of its greatness, its dignity and its privilege until he realizes it as trusteeship. Life itself is but the individual trusteeship of time. Man does not truly own even his own life; he has merely a life-interest in it, and sometime he must surrender it. In …
"Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it." ~ George Bernard Shaw Freedom is balanced by responsibility in all matters. Too much freedom with too little responsibility produces situations that quickly spiral out of control. Insufficient freedom coupled with a heavy load of responsibility is likely to implode for lack of maneuvering room. …
My sons and I were enjoying a few of the Schoolhouse Rock animated educational motion films yesterday and we came across one that I hadn't heard during my cartoon watching years as it was one of the later releases of the series. Entitled "Tyrannosaurus Debt," this episode focused on the catastrophic consequences of fiscal irresponsibility, …
Nations grown corrupt Love bondage more than liberty; Bondage with ease than strenuous liberty. ~ John Milton While touring Independence Hall in Philadelphia recently it occurred to me that the greater part of men prefer security to liberty. Most it seems are not even aware that they are making a choice. They go about their …
What makes life worthwhile? What matters to you? What counts in your life? In this fascinating TED2010 talk, Chip Conley, CEO, author and founder of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, makes a persuasive case for the reconsideration of the metrics used to guide our companies and our nation. At what point do we get off of …
Gregory Hake 