h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Did anyone else around here wonder what George W. was thinking when he scribbled with his felt pen on that note from Condi?

http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2004/WORLD/meast/06/28/iraq.handover/top.note.ap.jpg

Here's what he was pretending to quote:

http://www.faeriekeeper.net/poetry14.htm

Some people are certainly wondering:

http://engforum.pravda.ru/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=85176

Seems to me that Ring is more American: Liberty Bell, etc. Reign seems a little to monarchical.

In the poem "ring" seems to be being used in the sense of encircle, rather than anything to do with bells.

Noggin

Making Bush's garbled reference of even more questionable appropriateness

Actually, the word was used correctly, by *whoever* wrote on the note.

A quick search of dictionary.com shows that reign not only has monarchial meanings, but also means "Dominance or widespread influence." If used as a verb, it also means "To be predominant or prevalent".

It's the use of the word "freedom" that seems more questionable here.

Freedom for who to do what to whom?

Noggin

To me, it was just another photo op as blatant as the one on board the Navy ship. It was obviously planned in advance to be released to the press. What did that banner say? Right... Mission Accomplished.

Similar to Lady Scott and Witty Moniker, my thoughts were along the lines of "Who scripted the sound bite".

I always thought Freedom should go Ping or BEEP, like an old 80's BBC Micro Computer!
The true sound of Freedom is of course Total Silence, because it means there is Peace, IE:- Lack of war or hostility. No guns being fired, no shells, no rockets, no grenades, no missiles. Just a nice peaceful nothing going on.
I gave 6 years of my life for that aim, in the RAF. Until it happens can I have those 6 years back please?

Unfortunately not everyone has such a peaceful concept of freedom nor would they see there own freedom as something to be share with people of a different ethnicity, religeon or way of life.

Ah this must be some strange, new definition of the word 'sovreignty'/'freedom'/'peace'/'Weapons of Mass Destruction'/'safe' - that I wasn't previously aware of.

To crib a line from Arthur Dent.

Oh indeed... especially sovereignty!

I question the authenticity of the note, to tell you the truth.

I mean, think about it - Why in the world would Condeleza Rice need to pass notes with the President? It's not like they're schoolchildren, trying to avoid being caught talking in class.

I don't really buy the photo-op theory either... it'd be a lot more photo-worthy to have her whispering something in his ear.

'Actually, the word was used correctly, by *whoever* wrote on the note.

A quick search of dictionary.com shows that reign not only has monarchial meanings, but also means "Dominance or widespread influence." If used as a verb, it also means "To be predominant or prevalent".'

But, are we not safe to assume that he was trying to quote the poem? I mean 'My country, 'tis of thee . . .' is pretty bloody well known in that place.

And, why did he spell 'freedom' with a capital 'D'?

My Country Tis of Thee is not even thought of as a poem in this country any more - it's a patriotic song.

We don't read the words, we *sing* them. Or listen to them being sung.

Therefore, whether an attempt was being made to quote them or not, most people here have the words memorized, and because we often haven't *read* the words in decades, but sing them or hear them several times a year it's not at all unusual for us if we get a few similar words mixed up in there.

Additionally, I've often heard the phrase Let freedom reign, not in the context of this song, so it didn't sound the least bit unusual to me.

As far as spelling Freedom with a capital D... penmanship isn't generally taught in this country either, so we all tend to develop our own personal writing style. *Many* of us use a weird mix of capitals and lower case letters in our handwriting. I admit it, we're lazy like that, but we were never forced to do any better once we got out of the early years of schooling. Most teachers aren't that careful with their handwriting too.

Were you thinking there was some kind of hidden message in the capital D in there?

No, I didn't think there was any sort of hidden message. If it had been FreeDom and FreeDommer I might have.

You'd think his parents would ask for their money back. All those fancy schools and colleges they paid big bucks to put him througha nd he can't even write properly.

Expensive schools are certainly no guarantee of a good education. Sometimes they're not even as good as a good public school, just depends on the particular schools in question.

In this particular area, there's really only one private high school that has advanced classes, and just because they teach advanced classes doesn't mean the teachers are a bit better at teaching, or a bit more demanding than any other teachers overall (public or private), only that they teach more advanced subjects. The rest of the private schools just don't have the size or money to teach advanced subject areas, but that doesn't necessarily make it any less expensive to send your kids there (they sometimes send kids who need that kind of enrichment to the community college for a few classes). There's many other reasons to put your child in a private school than just thinking it's going to be a more academically demanding enviroment.

Imagine if he was dyslexic...


"Now uh-huh-huh...lemme see, where's my schedule?"

"Here Mr President."

"Thanks Condi - who's first on the list today?.... TERRORISTS?!! "

"Where!?"

"Terrorists are coming here? - Save me! Quickly, to the Bunker!"

"No sir that says 'Tehrahn Lobbyists'"

"Oh. Um. okay You sure?"

The use of the word reign is often used in the sense of "prevail", as in "Peace reigned." In fact, my mother had never heard the term "Let Freedom Ring". I have heard it, but have heard "Let Freedom Reign" more often.

LET FREEDOM REIGN
( To M.L.K. Jr.)
The luxury of indifference
Through the gospel of ignorance
Made virtuous

Who can love?
And what is hate?
In this blissful miasmal state?

To witness all and merely shrug
Choose to change channels
In search of hearty laugh tracks

Nations glued to little else
Beat their drums and their chests
We are free! Come the cries

This is freedom. Free at last.

Bedros B. Afeyan
1987, College Park, Maryland

"Let Freedom Reign" song lyrics, copyright 2001: http://www.countrygoldusa.com/independent.asp

African Rain By Sherol Northover

Oh Africa, let freedom reign
Oh Africa, let freedom reign
Rain down a storm
On the white man's home,
Let him see that God Is watching over all.
Let the thunder clap its hands
Together we will stand Hand in hand one and all Africa

I HAVE A DREAM

I have a dream that one day the oppressor and the oppressed will be liberated. And a beacon of light shall shine brightly in every human being.
That justice and hope will be a new world order and faith its foundation.

I have a dream that one day our nation’s eyes shall be opened.
To see the truth of the minority making a mockery of democracy.
That one day the masses of every nation from East to West shall rise up
and claim their natural throne – to enjoy liberty, equality, and the same greatness and glory under the rising sun.

I have a dream that we will one day ALL realize that we are majestic kings and queens soaring high over mountains, the skies and heavens above our true dwelling place.


Yes! I have a dream! I have a dream that the silent sufferings and despairs, the sickness of our soul, shall one day cease. And in its place, we shall look to the Immortal Spirit of our forefathers and ancestors to embrace us, make us whole again, - and set us free.


Let freedom reign!

Let freedom reign in the valleys of our deepest darkness.

Let freedom reign in the heights of our greatest pride.

Let freedom reign from the rolling hilltops of poverty to the mighty mountains of avarice.


Good God Almighty, let freedom reign, as far as the eyes can see!

I have a dream...

by Sharif Khan
Author, Psychology of the Hero Soul
Copyright 2003 by Sharif Khan (Canada)

However, there was also a speech by Nelson Mandella:

A time for healing

"Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too, too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud. Our daily deeds as ordinary South Africans must produce an actual South African reality that will reinforce humanity's belief in justice, strengthen its confidence in the nobility of the human soul and sustain all our hopes for a glorious life for all. All this we owe both ourselves and to the peoples of the world who are so well represented here today.

We, the people of South Africa, feel fulfilled that humanity has taken us back into its bosom, that we, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today been given the rare privilege to be host to the nations of the world on our own soil …

The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. The time to build is upon us …

We understand that there is no easy road to freedom. We know it well that none of us acting alone can achieve success. We must therefore act together as a united people, for national reconciliation, for nation building, for the birth of a new world.

Let there be justice for all.
Let there be peace for all.
Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.
Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfill themselves.

Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world.

The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement.
Let freedom reign
God bless Africa."

You may also recall this famous statement: "Let freedom reign... Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, we’re free at last." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.