The Senate Minority Leader came to Dallas to speak to Republicans. Southern Methodist University invited Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen to speak at the student’s morning assembly.
The Vietnam War was raging. So were some students. Many had protested on the SMU campus. We were warned. Maxine and I sat in row four and watched students fill the auditorium.
When Dirksen came to the podium he was greeted with cheers. Applause lasted several minutes. Senator Dirksen raised his hands, quieted his audience, then spoke
I’m reminded of the Illinois farmer who went out to his barn on a cold winter morning to milk his cow. He sat down his stool, took off his gloves, and began to milk.
Old Bessie turned her head and said, ‘Thanks Boss, for the warm hand.’
Laughter, followed by several minutes of more cheers, filled the SMU auditorium.
In his commanding voice, trained to deliver lines from Shakespeare, Dirksen announced his topic: For what will a man die?
And concluded his speech, “He will die for his country.”
And now we are reminded that again, in faraway Afghanistan, our sons and daughters have died ‘for their country.’
Photo by Orhan Cam at Shutterstock
