"The year 1941 has brought upon our nation a war of aggression by powers dominated by arrogant rulers whose selfish purpose is to destroy free institutions. They would thereby take from the freedom-loving peoples of the earth the hard-won liberties gained over many centuries."
An updated version of FDR's warning:
The year 2024 has brought upon our nation a hostile takeover by domestic enemies dominated by arrogant leaders whose selfish purpose is to destroy free institutions. They would thereby take from the freedom-living people of our countrty the hard-won liberties gained over many centuries.
"Ill would it be for us this Christmastide if we were not sure that no greed for the land or wealth of any other people, no vulgar ambition, no morbid lust for material gain at the expense of others, had led us to the field."
Updated version of Churchill's statement:
Greed, vulgar ambition, and lust for material gain at the expense of others among the political leaders of an anti-democratic movement has led to a crisis in our country, which we must fight until victory is ours.
You read my mind and made my heart filled with hope. The past is prologue! The thing I fear most for my country is that we’ve become a Nation of Cowards who have no vision for ourselves and none for coming generations!
I pray Gods forgiveness and mercy for the rank Idolatry in the form of Materialism.
I’m by nature an optimistic but I personally have nearly lost hope!! 🇺🇸⏳🙏🏼
Christmas morning. 2024. Grabbed a coffee and read this history lesson. Thank you Steve. It reminds me that we will need leadership similar to Churchill and FDR to move through the troubled waters ahead.
It must have been an ominous time. My grandmother was a Neighborhood Air Raid Warden back then. When the sirens started howling at night, she was responsible for making sure all lights in the neighborhood were off. No exceptions. Once, she actually shot out the window of a home that had a light on. That was Grandma. She was rather strident. Merry Christmas.
Wow! Tearful on Christmas morning reading these beautiful messages of hope, leadership, resilience and strength from you, and those two giants of men. Thank you. I'm grateful for the work you're doing.
Thank you, Steve! May you continue to “Thrive in ‘25”!
My first Christmas was on that very day on which Churchill spoke! I was born on September 6, 1941 in London, England in the midst of the “Blitz”. At 41/2 months, I don’t remember that one!
But the first Christmas I remember was 3 years later, unfortunately, still the “Blitz” going on: 24 hour bombing by the German Nazis. My father was an R.A.F. (Royal Air Force) navigator, gone to war, but what I really want to tell you is about how we had a Christmas Tree and lit it up, with all the”blackout shades down, there the tree stood! It had clip on candle holders on the branches, and the ornaments were our Christmas cards! Yes!!! And then we lit it up with all the candles for one glorious moment! Imagine!!
Two years later, my new life in America, on the South side of Chicago, our tree had electric lights!
They were right to light!
Happy Christmas! As we say in England and now from Florida, USA!🕊️Peace 🕊️
Thanks Steve. In 2009, my British business associate introduced me to his father-in-law who had been Churchill’s personal secretary for many years. What a history lesson as he showed many pictures of meetings with President Eisenhower and Churchill and other foreign leaders. Then, he showed me a copy of Churchill’s biography with Churchill’s signature that he told me he had signed about one hour before he died. I stared at the signature and there did not appear to be any evidence of a shaky hand. Churchill was strong until the end!!! Merry Christmas to all!!!
Steve, this is an incredibly beautiful reminder of who we are, and a perfect gift this morning. My father was part of that conflict at age 18, and I was born into a (momentarily) peaceful world less than a decade after it ended. I wish that spirit of courage and hope again for each of us, in our own way, today and moving forward. thank you.
Happy Christmakkah to you as well, as we gather to open presents under our Hanukkah bush. The diversity of those who gather in my family’s homes reminds me why we mentally refresh to fight the good fight another day. As always, I am grateful for your voice in the mix and knowing that with all the diversity of political opinions among us on Substack and Bluesky, we all know that the Constitution and rule of law are the thing-the boundaries that have preserved the union for 250 years.
Thank you for finding inspiring commentary to warm my families hearts. Our family,An immigrant conglomeration that now steels itself with love, compassion and open hearts for future that our parents warned us may come.
We will return to the serenity and sanity of our childhood.
Now begins the Crusade to make Chrismakkah in all its forms the way we approach everyday!
God bless us everyone! And a special wish for Steve Schmidt and everyone who shares this Substack, with trees and Hannukah candles lit to remind us of traditions of friendship and love to invite us to join hands. May all of us who are celebrating today join Tiny Tim in his holiday prayer that asks God to bless us, everyone! 🎄🎄🙏🙏
Dear Mr. Schmidt (I wish I was close enough to you to address this Dear Steve), you are a "God-send." You are amazing, truly. Your essays are are so thoughtful and informative, even uplifting at times. These moments feels perilous, and we fear for our children & grandchildren. My father twice attempted to enlist in "The Great War" but was told that his "services" as a physicist were required in a small town called Oak Ridge, TN. He devoted the rest of his life trying to make up for his noble "service." My wife's father was "landed" on the beach in Sicily in 1943 ("Operation Husky") as part of the medical corps (he was a dentist). We are grateful that neither are alive today to witness what their beloved country has become. RAP
Steve, you are welcome, and thank you. One can’t read these words of great men without noting the seeming absence of great men today. The very worst of us have risen to power while the best of us are silenced by the greed and abused power of lesser but wealthier - and thus more powerful - men and women. Merry Christmas.
"The year 1941 has brought upon our nation a war of aggression by powers dominated by arrogant rulers whose selfish purpose is to destroy free institutions. They would thereby take from the freedom-loving peoples of the earth the hard-won liberties gained over many centuries."
An updated version of FDR's warning:
The year 2024 has brought upon our nation a hostile takeover by domestic enemies dominated by arrogant leaders whose selfish purpose is to destroy free institutions. They would thereby take from the freedom-living people of our countrty the hard-won liberties gained over many centuries.
"Ill would it be for us this Christmastide if we were not sure that no greed for the land or wealth of any other people, no vulgar ambition, no morbid lust for material gain at the expense of others, had led us to the field."
Updated version of Churchill's statement:
Greed, vulgar ambition, and lust for material gain at the expense of others among the political leaders of an anti-democratic movement has led to a crisis in our country, which we must fight until victory is ours.
Thanks to Russell and Anthony!!
You read my mind and made my heart filled with hope. The past is prologue! The thing I fear most for my country is that we’ve become a Nation of Cowards who have no vision for ourselves and none for coming generations!
I pray Gods forgiveness and mercy for the rank Idolatry in the form of Materialism.
I’m by nature an optimistic but I personally have nearly lost hope!! 🇺🇸⏳🙏🏼
Hear. Hear.
Perfectly stated.
Thank you Steve, for a much appreciated remembrance of the tower of strength of two heroes at Christmas in 1941. We needed those words.
Christmas morning. 2024. Grabbed a coffee and read this history lesson. Thank you Steve. It reminds me that we will need leadership similar to Churchill and FDR to move through the troubled waters ahead.
It must have been an ominous time. My grandmother was a Neighborhood Air Raid Warden back then. When the sirens started howling at night, she was responsible for making sure all lights in the neighborhood were off. No exceptions. Once, she actually shot out the window of a home that had a light on. That was Grandma. She was rather strident. Merry Christmas.
What a tough and devoted Grandma, love this story. Merry Christmas!
Wow! Tearful on Christmas morning reading these beautiful messages of hope, leadership, resilience and strength from you, and those two giants of men. Thank you. I'm grateful for the work you're doing.
Thank you, Steve! May you continue to “Thrive in ‘25”!
My first Christmas was on that very day on which Churchill spoke! I was born on September 6, 1941 in London, England in the midst of the “Blitz”. At 41/2 months, I don’t remember that one!
But the first Christmas I remember was 3 years later, unfortunately, still the “Blitz” going on: 24 hour bombing by the German Nazis. My father was an R.A.F. (Royal Air Force) navigator, gone to war, but what I really want to tell you is about how we had a Christmas Tree and lit it up, with all the”blackout shades down, there the tree stood! It had clip on candle holders on the branches, and the ornaments were our Christmas cards! Yes!!! And then we lit it up with all the candles for one glorious moment! Imagine!!
Two years later, my new life in America, on the South side of Chicago, our tree had electric lights!
They were right to light!
Happy Christmas! As we say in England and now from Florida, USA!🕊️Peace 🕊️
Thanks Steve. In 2009, my British business associate introduced me to his father-in-law who had been Churchill’s personal secretary for many years. What a history lesson as he showed many pictures of meetings with President Eisenhower and Churchill and other foreign leaders. Then, he showed me a copy of Churchill’s biography with Churchill’s signature that he told me he had signed about one hour before he died. I stared at the signature and there did not appear to be any evidence of a shaky hand. Churchill was strong until the end!!! Merry Christmas to all!!!
I read somewhere that Churchill's last words were "I am bored with it all." No evidence of a shaky mind there, either.
Steve, this is an incredibly beautiful reminder of who we are, and a perfect gift this morning. My father was part of that conflict at age 18, and I was born into a (momentarily) peaceful world less than a decade after it ended. I wish that spirit of courage and hope again for each of us, in our own way, today and moving forward. thank you.
Happy Christmakkah to you as well, as we gather to open presents under our Hanukkah bush. The diversity of those who gather in my family’s homes reminds me why we mentally refresh to fight the good fight another day. As always, I am grateful for your voice in the mix and knowing that with all the diversity of political opinions among us on Substack and Bluesky, we all know that the Constitution and rule of law are the thing-the boundaries that have preserved the union for 250 years.
Thank you for finding inspiring commentary to warm my families hearts. Our family,An immigrant conglomeration that now steels itself with love, compassion and open hearts for future that our parents warned us may come.
We will return to the serenity and sanity of our childhood.
Now begins the Crusade to make Chrismakkah in all its forms the way we approach everyday!
Happy Holidays to the Schmidt family and all the Warning family
God bless us everyone! And a special wish for Steve Schmidt and everyone who shares this Substack, with trees and Hannukah candles lit to remind us of traditions of friendship and love to invite us to join hands. May all of us who are celebrating today join Tiny Tim in his holiday prayer that asks God to bless us, everyone! 🎄🎄🙏🙏
Thank you, Steve. Blessings of the season to you and your family.
Happy Holidays to all. Be safe and enjoy!😎
Dear Mr. Schmidt (I wish I was close enough to you to address this Dear Steve), you are a "God-send." You are amazing, truly. Your essays are are so thoughtful and informative, even uplifting at times. These moments feels perilous, and we fear for our children & grandchildren. My father twice attempted to enlist in "The Great War" but was told that his "services" as a physicist were required in a small town called Oak Ridge, TN. He devoted the rest of his life trying to make up for his noble "service." My wife's father was "landed" on the beach in Sicily in 1943 ("Operation Husky") as part of the medical corps (he was a dentist). We are grateful that neither are alive today to witness what their beloved country has become. RAP
Steve, you are welcome, and thank you. One can’t read these words of great men without noting the seeming absence of great men today. The very worst of us have risen to power while the best of us are silenced by the greed and abused power of lesser but wealthier - and thus more powerful - men and women. Merry Christmas.