Remember Tianamen Square and think of today

For most of us who grew up in the 80s, we distinctly remember the CNN image of the one man who stood up to a column of tanks in Tienanmen Square. Why, after such a bloody massacre already in progress by the Chinese Military, the tanks didn't run him down or he wasn't shot, we never really understood. Perhaps the Chinese censors didn't want to deal with the international press' question on this one topic. For what we know now, this individual is still rotting away in jail.

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I was prompted to this memory thanks to Glenn Hauser's World of Radio Program episode 1462: http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1462.mp3 , a show I enjoy that generally deals with the world of radio and communications. Listening to the concern of the Radio Bejing announcer provided in the clip really hit home. It is our understanding that this individual is also sitting somewhere in a jail cell for delivering this broadcast, along with others who made the transmission possible. To this day, we do not know the announcers name and the Chinese communist government has forbidden its utterance.

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It's particularly alarming when you think about our current state of affairs. For years, American Presidents have stood up to totalitarian regimes - in China, the Middle East, and Europe through both actions and words. Yet today, our present administration has gone down the dark path of trying to diminish America values by apologizing to our enemies over our pro-democratic positions. Positions like standing up for individual freedom, human rights, and democracy. And for standing up for religious tolerance, freedom of speech, press, and assembly.

It's remarkable that Americans don't see the unique and disparaging behavior of Barack Obama as he makes his so-called historic visit to the Middle East. The contrast between great Presidents like Ronald Reagan or Theodore Roosevelt, and someone like Barack Hussein Obama are enormous. Where Reagan stood up and saw America as a shining city on a mountain, Obama sees only darkness and decay. Where Reagan admonished Communist Leaders to "tear down this wall", Obama tells Arabs that Americans should not export our values and beliefs. Where Reagan pushed for democratic reforms, Obama praises communist and Islamic fundamentalists leaders, and treats them as worthy equals on the world stage. While Teddy Roosevelt charged up San Juan Hill to defeat thugs and bandits, Obama only yesterday told Arab leaders that we acted inappropriately with our military when Islamic murders murdered thousands in the twin towers.

Boy, we've come a long way. Today's images, 20 years remembered, of one man standing up to a column of tanks - the machinery of the barbarian proletariat to the image of an American President bowing down before and shaking hands with dictators, rogues and Mulahs. A President apologizing for democracy. My God, I ask, what have we become?

Americans. Is this the change you really want? It's a sickening though that we have three more years of this traitoristic behavior to endure. Today, we look elsewhere for our heroes. A we remember one man, who blocked a column of tanks and was willing to die for basic freedoms that we squander. What a pity.