What's God Got to Do with it? Robert Ingersoll on Free Though... by Robert G. Ingersoll

He loved poetry and even wrote the occasional poem. When he was assembling his quotations, Mencken said, “ What this grand, gaudy, unapproachable country needs and lacks is an Ingerso ll.” That was right in the ’40s, it still is.Īlso, Ingersoll was a writer. That Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899) is seldom quoted anymore and barely remembered is, as far as I’m concerned, symptomatic of nearly everything that’s wrong with America today. To his foes who refrained from viciousness, he was simply The Great Satan. His adversaries and detractors, of which there were more, had other names for him Robert Injuresoul, a barking dog, buffoon, Robber of Hope, The Patron of Suicide, and worst. His friend and admirers, of which there were many, called him Bob. Ingersoll.” His name was Robert Green Ingersoll. There’s probably few who do, in all of the Biden administration, or Washington for that matter.įirst of all, no one ever called him “R. The staffer probably had no clue who Ingersoll was. Mencken was a great admirer of Ingersoll and the quote chosen for the president is the first entry under “heroism.” I know the source where he found this quote, A New Dictionary of Quotations, edited by H.L.

A quote with gravitas, but not of the highfaluting sort.Ī staffer was probably assigned the task of finding this perfect quotation and went scurrying for the Bartlett’s, but Bartlett’s proved a bust.

It’s a canon of political speechwriting: “Open with a joke or close with a quote.” Apparently, President Biden wanted a suitable closer for his elegy. And Ingersoll wrote the following ‘When the will defies fear, when duty throws the gauntlet down to fate, when honor scorns a compromise with death, that is heroism.’”

Ingersoll when he described heroism better fit than anyone I know. “ And I believe,” the President somberly intoned, “ the words of the poet R. However, as the President moved to conclude his tribute, I was startled from my serenity when, suddenly, his heartfelt words, were incredibly familiar. It was like I was suddenly back in the company of adults again, after being stuck babysitting a sniveling, petulant ADHD brat.

Watching President Biden eulogize his long time senate colleague, the dignity of the ceremony emanated tranquility. By Ernest Kearney - The service held at the Washington National Cathedral this past December 10, for the late Senator Bob Dole, wielded a near hypnotic sway over me.

What's God Got to Do with it? Robert Ingersoll on Free Though... by Robert G. Ingersoll