For Part Two or Part Three, choose your link.
Today we're starting in on Elder Alvin R. Dyer's talk, "The Nobility of Man in Choosing Good Over Evil" from the October 1971 Conference. He emphasizes the importance of courage in choosing good over evil, and starts off with a cluster of famous quotes:
The Quote
"Men seek for a phrase or a slogan
to motivate and give impetus to action under certain conditions.
History refers to such statements as,
“Give me liberty, or give me death!” or
“I have not yet begun to fight,” and
“Surrender? Never! We will die first.”
Modern slogans have also had their effect,
such as “V” for victory,
and the peace and freedom symbols of crowds of demonstrators."
There's a lot to unpack here - let's start with
"Give me liberty, or give me death!" - said by Patrick Henry, one of the Founding Fathers of the American colonies. This phrase was said on the floor of the Second Virginia Convention, to encourage others to rebel against the British empire.
"I have not yet begun to fight" - there's a little bit of historical telephone tag in this quote from John Paul Jones, sea captain of the American Colonies during the Revolutionary War. During a pivotal battle, he was asked by the British captain of the rival ship if he would surrender, and he said, "I have not yet begun to fight."
The actual quote was a little different, but in the same spirit. The British captain asked if he had 'struck his colors', meaning would he lower the flag of his ship in surrender. His actual response was something more like, "I am determined to make you strike."
"Surrender? Never! We will die first." - Again, this may have been John Paul Jones, or it may have been similar to the Victory or Death letter left by Col. William B. Travis at the Alamo.
V for Victory - This cultural sign has its roots in World War II, and continued through the peace demonstrations of the 1960s. Two fingers lifted palm-out in a V shape still evokes either a victory connotation, or a peace sign.
Each of these phrases or signs became a shorthand for encouraging others to take courage and work towards victory, and then peace, because some things are more important than comfort and convenience. Sometimes we have to fight for what's right and be brave when others aren't.
