By Dana Rohrabacher
at Arlington National Cemetery
Today we gathered to pay homage to a devout Christian, a courageous patriot, a caring father and a friend, and, yes, a damn good Marine. Paul Behrends worked as a senior member of my Congressional staff for about half the time I was in Congress. He exemplified the motto that President Reagan had on his Oval Office desk: “It can be done!” as well as the other sign on Reagan’s desk, “There is no limit to what can be accomplished, if you don’t care who gets the credit.”
Yes, I was the Congressman, known for pushing policies and aggressive political and bureaucratic maneuvers against the enemies of our country and in support of the freedom loving people of the world. It was Paul who made it real. He took everything Ronald Reagan said seriously and he understood now was our moment to step forward and make our difference for the ideals and Christian principles that we espoused. But of course espousing was not enough.
For thirty years, many of them at my side, Paul was a force at war with the evils of Communism. And later as the Soviet Union disintegrated, which was our utmost dream come true, Paul and I continued our activist approach to dealing with the horrific challenges that didn’t go away when the Berlin Wall came down. Now it was radical Islamic terrorists and an atheistic Chinese behemoth regime far more cunning and ruthless than what we’d faced when Russia was marching to a Marxist drum.
The fight was always about freedom. Paul was the quintessential American freedom fighter: In the halls of Congress, in the bureaucratic maze of Foggy Bottom, at rendezvous with brave souls fighting against evil regimes and sadistic tyrants. Paul was there. Sometimes he took me, but it was his personal crusade to further the ideals and values given to us Americans by God.
Today we memorialized Paul, we sing praises that he earned. He made a difference in the world . . . and yes, there are freedom loving Godly people alive in various locations around the world today who would be dead or suffering if it were not for Paul. He fought the good fight, he stood tall when others failed to respond to pleas of oppressed people. He kept going when others, discouraged by bureaucracy or afraid of being personally targeted, just gave up the fight. Yes, it happened to Paul. It was sad to see even some of the GOP foreign policy elite, lined up on the side with the biggest checkbook.
That is the fate of far too many freedom fighters. That, unfortunately, is the fate of so many American heroes. Colonel Paul Behrends now joins with these special heroes. We are proud and grateful for what he did for our country. Now it is up to us, but Paul we believers know you are here with us and with those throughout the world struggling against tyranny and injustice. The evil doers on this planet will be vanquished and those freedom fighters like Paul have a special place in heaven and in the heart of free people everywhere.
at Arlington National Cemetery
Today we gathered to pay homage to a devout Christian, a courageous patriot, a caring father and a friend, and, yes, a damn good Marine. Paul Behrends worked as a senior member of my Congressional staff for about half the time I was in Congress. He exemplified the motto that President Reagan had on his Oval Office desk: “It can be done!” as well as the other sign on Reagan’s desk, “There is no limit to what can be accomplished, if you don’t care who gets the credit.”
Yes, I was the Congressman, known for pushing policies and aggressive political and bureaucratic maneuvers against the enemies of our country and in support of the freedom loving people of the world. It was Paul who made it real. He took everything Ronald Reagan said seriously and he understood now was our moment to step forward and make our difference for the ideals and Christian principles that we espoused. But of course espousing was not enough.
For thirty years, many of them at my side, Paul was a force at war with the evils of Communism. And later as the Soviet Union disintegrated, which was our utmost dream come true, Paul and I continued our activist approach to dealing with the horrific challenges that didn’t go away when the Berlin Wall came down. Now it was radical Islamic terrorists and an atheistic Chinese behemoth regime far more cunning and ruthless than what we’d faced when Russia was marching to a Marxist drum.
The fight was always about freedom. Paul was the quintessential American freedom fighter: In the halls of Congress, in the bureaucratic maze of Foggy Bottom, at rendezvous with brave souls fighting against evil regimes and sadistic tyrants. Paul was there. Sometimes he took me, but it was his personal crusade to further the ideals and values given to us Americans by God.
Today we memorialized Paul, we sing praises that he earned. He made a difference in the world . . . and yes, there are freedom loving Godly people alive in various locations around the world today who would be dead or suffering if it were not for Paul. He fought the good fight, he stood tall when others failed to respond to pleas of oppressed people. He kept going when others, discouraged by bureaucracy or afraid of being personally targeted, just gave up the fight. Yes, it happened to Paul. It was sad to see even some of the GOP foreign policy elite, lined up on the side with the biggest checkbook.
That is the fate of far too many freedom fighters. That, unfortunately, is the fate of so many American heroes. Colonel Paul Behrends now joins with these special heroes. We are proud and grateful for what he did for our country. Now it is up to us, but Paul we believers know you are here with us and with those throughout the world struggling against tyranny and injustice. The evil doers on this planet will be vanquished and those freedom fighters like Paul have a special place in heaven and in the heart of free people everywhere.
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