Ryan Streeter
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This morning, the George W. Bush Institute released the 43rd President's remarks at an event on the Middle East yesterday in Dallas.
It's good to "hear" Bush's voice again on the freedom agenda.
People ask me about what’s going on in the Middle East, and as you probably know by now, I’m retired, and so I’m not opining that much. But here’s what I think. I think we live in exciting times, and I’m not surprised that freedom continues to march forward. And the reason that I’m not surprised is because I believe, and many in this room believe, deep in the soul of every man, woman, and child on the face of the earth is the desire to be free. It is a desire to have their voices heard, and it is a desire to live under governments that are responsive to their needs.
I have read a lot of history during my 64 years. It is clear that it takes time for freedom to take root. And so while these are exciting times, these times also require a degree of patience, particularly from those of us who live in the comfortable lives of free societies. We’ve got to understand that sometimes the seed is planted on rocky soil and it takes time. And one of the dangers for the freedom movement around the world is that the United States grows weary and becomes isolated from the inevitable march of freedom.
It’s important for our country to understand that what happens abroad affects us at home. And that the spread of free societies make our country more secure and make the world more peaceful. And it’s important to recognize that the spread of free societies upholds the idea that all human beings have worth and dignity.
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