monday quote:
"I'm not very much impressed with men who publicly parade their religious beliefs. I've always believed that religion is something to live by and not to talk about."
(Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the United States, 1884-1972--The quote is taken from a 1945 handwritten autobiographical manuscript)
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ReplyDelete[I was] Born in 1944. My first cognizant recollection of President Truman came around age 6, or 7.
ReplyDeleteI remember how my Republican father scorned President Truman. Later on I realized that Harry was a President of all the people.
I remember lazy Saturday afternoons and how we kids walked to the picture show. Usually there was a Roy Rogers, or an Abbot & Costello movie featured. We saw 'News Reels" showing President Truman strolling about the streets of Washington D.C. for his 'daily constitutional'. He was a quiet rebel.
I remember that he was a soft spoken man.
Like many boys my age, we played 'war'. We pretended we were soldiers and ran about the woods shooting imaginary 'Nazi's & 'Japs'. We didn't yet know about P.C.
I remember hearing my Father complain about how it took President Truman a long time to go ahead and drop the "A-Bomb"..
I also remember Dad feeling bad, concerning the innocent lives it took.
I remember learning Teddy Roosevelt's slogan was "Speak softly and carry a big stick". Dad used this when bashing Harry and praising Republicans.
I remember the day in 6th grade when I asked my teacher, "Isn't that what President Truman did? Speak softly and carry a big stick"? I remember her smile before she gave the obvious response.
I didn't yet know about political parties. They had names. I knew that much.
I didn't yet know about ideologies and such but I knew I liked Harry S. Truman and, at that early age, I instinctively 'knew' the agony in his decision to drop the first atomic bomb.
He had to know that thousands would die. He also knew, and understood, even more would have died had the United States and it's allies been forced to invade Japan.
President Truman always seemed to be terse but gentle. He was, by no means, a bullshiter, and there a twinkle in his eye.
I don't recall having ever heard him speak of religion. At least not use it as a political tool. Not once.
And, in the quote you used today, What Eye Thynk, my mind went directly to two basic Christian tenets: [Matthew 6:6] "But when you pray, go into your inner room..." And [Matthew 5:6] "Let your light shine..."
Seems old Harry had it right.
Very good and apt post. I like the reply as well. Yeah, I was raised "Republican" as well. Whereas most people become more conservative with age, with me, the journey has been in the opposite direction. In fact, in junior high, I was a fan of Ayn Rand. But unlike some folks, I got over it in a few years.
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