Socrates vs. King of Sweden; Who ya gonna call?

Rick Lowry, of the National Review, has made a short but good homage to courage and the first responders of 9-11. In it he uses a quote that made me think of all you. This merry band loves its philosophy but also knows when the time is right for picking up a sword.

The esteem with which we naturally hold physical courage is deep-seated. Musing on this, the great English literary figure Samuel Johnson said, “Were Socrates and Charles the Twelfth of Sweden both present in any company, and Socrates to say, ‘Follow me, and hear a lecture on philosophy;’ and Charles, laying his hand on his sword, to say, ‘Follow me, and dethrone the Czar;’ a man would be ashamed to follow Socrates. Sir, the impression is universal; yet it is strange.”