On October 27, 1964, Ronald Reagan made a speech that transformed his life and changed the thinking of many others. Reagan himself called it simply “The Speech.” Others labelled it “A Time for Choosing.” In the speech Reagan explained why he, a life-long Democrat, had decided to switch parties. But the most memorable portion of the speech came later where Reagan related this incident.
Not too long ago, two friends of mine were talking to a Cuban refugee, a businessman who had escaped from Castro, and in the midst of his story one of my friends turned to the other and said, "We don't know how lucky we are." And the Cuban stopped and said, "How lucky you are? I had someplace to escape to." And in that sentence he told us the entire story. If we lose freedom here, there's no place to escape to. This is the last stand on earth.[1]
That statement came to mind recently. Living far from the States, I am not forced to listen to as much of the propaganda as those in America. But news from the States does get to us, and it is often depressing. Much of the freedom that we prized in 1964 has already been taken away or been given away by people who want “big brother” to wipe their noses for them. In some respects, we enjoy greater practical freedom living in what has been called “the last absolute monarchy in Africa.” Here we must be concerned with what King Mswati decides. But in America, in 2024, there is a whole army of bureaucrats making so many new regulations that they cannot even keep up with them. The average person has no way of knowing how many government regulations there are, or how many new ones there will be by the end of the day.
And, in this election year, the more I hear about the candidates for public office, the less I like about our future prospects. So, has the time that Reagan feared back in 1964 come? Yes and no.
I believe that time has come for those whose only hope is in this life. No matter who wins the upcoming election, it appears that freedom such as our fathers envisioned in 1776 and 1789 is gone. Government has invaded so many areas of life and so many more are soon to be invaded. And there is no place left to which we might escape. The situation in Canada, in Europe, and in Asia is worse. It is rapidly becoming worse in the few parts of Africa where there is still some freedom.
But I have a home to which I plan to escape before long. There I will be troubled by neither Trump nor Harris, by neither Trudeau nor Poilievre, by neither Marcron nor Le Pen. All of them, while they promise freedom, are themselves slaves of sinful corruption (2 Peter 2:19). The Cuban refugee Reagan cited was right, there is no place left to escape on this earth. But I still look forward in hope.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom 8:18-22, ESV).
I hope you have a place to go as well. If you don’t, it is high time to make arrangements.
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