Rally Speech

There comes a time in everyone's life when everything is still and life seems meaningless, at that point in time one must take a stand and make a choice. In Tiananmen Square the night of June 3, 1989 into the morning hours of June 4 students and citizens of China took a stand and made a choice. They chose Freedom and Liberty over living an existence of a living death of repression and slavery. We as Americans live in a sheltered cove lounging on our yachts dressed in designer clothes. Will Americans choose cocaine and crack or will they try and reach for something greater than themselves,  finally realizing what is worthwhile for themselves and the world. The emphasis today is all physical but we must do more to mend our spirits. For when the day comes when a man considers his physical life to be worthless, that is the day he begins to grow. It will require endless work, sacrifice and dedication to regain that sacred ground in Tiananmen Square and when that sacred ground is conquered the struggle to maintain Freedom will just begin. Someday people will go and visit that sacred place in Tiananmen Square and the people will cry tears, but these will not be tears of sadness instead these will be tears of joy for the sacred ground upon which they stand is the birthplace of Freedom and Democracy in China. You may ask yourself but what can I do, I'm only one small person in a great big world. Let me tell you what you can do. Moment by moment step by step the good you do are reflections of you. Then someday that stream of light oh so very bright will burst into a blinding light illuminating that sacred ground upon which truth stands making China Free! 

                                                                                                     - george greenville butler

This speech was delivered in the Fall of 1989 by George Butler on the West Mall of the University of Texas campus in Austin during the Tiananmen Square protest movement.