Posted by
Bert Chapman on Monday, November 09, 2009 6:19:14 PM
Today we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall's fall and the stunning revolutions in Eastern Europe that toppled Communist governments in that region. The Berlin Wall had been constructed by the East German government to stop its citizens from fleeing to the freedom and greater economic opportunity of West Germany. In the nearly three decades this structure was up a number of people attempted to escape only to meet violent death. I was able to experience the Berlin Wall when I visited both East and West Berlin in 1980. On the western side of the wall, I enjoyed seeing the anticommunist graffiti sprayed on the wall with one statement, translated from German saying "For Capitalism" which gladdened my young conservative heart. I went through Checkpoint Charlie which was truly a surreal experience and a vivid demonstration of the repressive power of totalitarian Communism. On our way back from East Berlin as we were going through Checkpoint Charlie, I momentarily couldn't find my visa and had panicked visions of being hauled off to the East German gulag by the Stasi. Fortunately, I found my visa okay.
It took the courageous leadership of individuals such as Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Margaret Thatcher, Helmut Kohl, Lech Walesa, and Vaclav Havel to maintain western resolve and strengthen democratic awareness behind the Iron Curtain to an extent where the Soviet bloc could no longer retain its iron grip. Fortunately, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev understood that there was no way Moscow could maintain its dictatorial control over Eastern Europe and allowed these mostly nonviolent revolutions to occur.
Germany has had significant challenges in absorbing its eastern region into a reunified fatherland. It and other countries of the former Soviet bloc, like most of the world's economies, are facing challenging economic times. Historically, difficult economic times have, in many cases, produced conditions conducive to the rise of dictators. Hopefully, countries in this part of Europe have learned from sad experience that dictatorial regimes do not produce higher living standards. Contemporary governments of these countries must work to meet the material needs of their populations while also recognizing the importance of meeting spiritual needs and providing open and honest governance. It's especially good to know that most of the former Soviet bloc countries are now part of the NATO Alliance whose security architecture must be sufficiently credible to deter any potentially revanchist desires by an increasingly assertive Russia.
Considering the U.S.' important role in restoring German freedom and economic prosperity, it's particularly sad that President Obama could not find time to join Berliners in their justifiable celebrations. Perhaps, he realizes that he can't measure up to true champions of freedom like Walesa, Havel, Reagan, and the other leaders mentioned in this posting.