The Great Minds of History vs. the small minds of the regime (Pt.2)

“Paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the Government from deceiving the people… Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in Government.” ~Hugo Black, Supreme Court Justice (take note FBCL specifically, & Fiji Media more generally! Look what happened to the journos at Rishikul after journos failed to stand up for the rights of Ballu Khan and the other “assassination plot” frame-up victims earlier!)

“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie: deliberate, continued, and dishonest; but the myth: persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.” ~John F. Kennedy (Eg. Endemic SDL corruption, RTU coup amnesties, Alleged threat of economic “bankruptcy” under ousted Government, “Rigged” 2006 Election…)

“May we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion.” ~Dwight D. Eisenhower (take note Military Intelligence Units, Police Tactical Response Unit)

“A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his Government.” ~Edward Abbey (take note All Fiji Citizens!)

“Be loyal to your country always, and to the Government only when it deserves it!” ~Mark Twain (take note All Fiji Citizens!)

“It is not the function of Government to keep the citizen from error – it is the function of the citizen to keep the Government from falling into error.” ~Justice Robert Jackson (take note Military HQ Intelligence Unit, 3FIR Intelligence Unit, Aiyaz Khaiyum, Interim Government!)

“Why, the Government is merely…a temporary servant…its function is to obey orders, not originate them.” ~Mark Twain (take note Interim Cabinet, Military Council, President’s Office & NCBBF!)

“Protecting the rights of even the least individual among us is basically the only excuse the Government has for even existing.” ~Ronald Reagan (take note Aiyaz Khaiyum, FHRC, CCF, Judiciary, Magistracy, President’s Office, Interim Government & NCBBF!)

“Don’t regard yourself as a guardian of freedom unless you respect and preserve the rights of people you disagree with…” ~Gerard K. O’Neill (take note FHRC, Aiyaz Khaiyum & Interim Cabinet!)

“You’re not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong no matter who does it or who says it.” ~Malcolm X (take note RFMF, FLP supporters!)

“Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it.” ~William Penn (take note FLP, SDL/CAMV, NCBBF and People Of Fiji!)

“Those who make peaceful transformation impossible will make violent revolution inevitable!” ~John F. Kennedy (take note Military Council, RFMF, Interim Cabinet, President’s Office!)

“We must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.” ~Ronald Reagan (take note Military Council, Interim Cabinet, President’s Office & RFMF! and be encouraged Coup Opponents!)

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ~Margaret Mead (keep it up Bloggers, And Coup Opponents!)

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” ~Martin Luther King, Jnr. (take note Judiciary, Magistracy, President’s Office, Lawyers, NGOs, SDL, Fijian, Indian & “Moderate” Political Leaders,…)

“I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.” Helen Keller (keep going Coup Opponents!)

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On!’ has solved, and always will solve, the problems of the human race.” J. Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States of America (keep going Coup Opponents!)

“Tabu Soro!” Fijian War Cry (keep going Bloggers & Coup Opponents!)

“Never give in! Never give in! Never, never, never, never–in nothing, great or small, large or petty–never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense! Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy… (for us during the War) there was no flinching and no thought of giving in; and by what seemed almost a miracle to those outside these Islands, though we ourselves never doubted it, we now find ourselves in a position where I say that we can be sure that we have only to persevere to conquer… (So) do not let us speak of darker days: let us speak rather of sterner days. These are not dark days; these are great days–the greatest days our country has ever lived; and we must all thank God that we have been allowed, each of us according to our stations, to play a part in making these days memorable in the history of our race.” Winston Churchill (take note Coup Opponents!)

“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; and that His Justice cannot sleep forever.” ~Thomas Jefferson (take note RFMF and Coup Supporters – of All Fiji’s Coups!)

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, WHATSOEVER ye sow, that shall ye also reap!” Gal 6:7 (get ready Frank & Military Council! Be warned Coup Opponents!)

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good!” ~The Apostle Paul (take note Coup Opponents!)

“But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you!” ~Jesus Of Nazareth (take note Coup Opponents!)

So it would seem from the familiarity and applicability of these comments and quotes, that Fiji’s situation is not in fact as unique or as subtly complex as the regime and the military would like us to believe. On the contrary, it seems as if Fiji’s so-called “deeper issues” are not as important as the rather more straight-forward and obvious problems that other nations have already experienced and learned from many times. Simple human failings such as self-interest, deviousness, bad faith, hunger for power, corruption from power, opportunism, ignorance, lack of understanding and experience and expertise and principle. Rather than “outside the box” thinking, all that is really needed to deal with these problems are simple things like respect for the rule of law and others’ views, ethics (dodonu, dina, savasava), experience, understanding wisdom and patience. So instead of worrying whether other people can “think outside the box” on Fiji’s problems, the regime would be better off worrying about itself and whether it can acquire enough of these basic leadership qualities. Because that will be the real determinant of whether Fiji will be able to “move forward” out of their self-inflicted crisis or not?