Weekdays at 12noon on 770 AM: The Truth
 Michael Medved

Will We Change the Times or Let the Times Change Us?

January 24, 2013 @ 11:47 am (Updated: 11:49 am - 1/24/13 )

Searching for catchy phrases among arid platitudes in Barack Obama's uninspired inaugural, his media admirers focused on one brief, pithy formulation.

"Times change ... and so must we."

That statement seemed to reflect the president's addiction to change as a goal in itself, rather than shaping current circumstances to reflect timeless values. Rabbi Daniel Lapin offers a much better slogan: "The more things change, the more we need those things that never change."

In fact, eight years ago George W. Bush echoed that view in his own under-appreciated second inaugural. President Bush declared: "Americans move forward in every generation by reaffirming all that is good and true that came before--ideals of justice and conduct that are the same yesterday, today, and forever."

It's a far worthier principle than the notion of changing with the times.

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Comments (36)


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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    I like this quote...
    January 24, 2013 10:55 am
    He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery. ~Harold Wilson Or for my science lovers out there: It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.
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  • Cigarillo wrote...
    @GayMarChrisWood
    January 24, 2013 5:06 pm
    ...Which is why I detest liberals hijacking the word "progressive". It essentially gives false credence to their platform issues when they read pearls of wisdom like the ones you cited. Hitler, Stalin and the emperor's new clothes were quite "progressive" also.
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    Cigarillo
    January 24, 2013 6:25 pm
    Then GOPers calling themselves Conservatives must really get you po'ed. Thinking of Ronald Reagan being refered to as a Conservative (when he ran up MORE debt then every President COMBINED before him) is particularly comical don't cha Think?
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  • Cigarillo wrote...
    @Messian
    January 25, 2013 5:14 am
    Damm Straight!
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  • Cigarillo wrote...
    @Messiah
    January 25, 2013 5:32 am
    Another thing I detest: Failed attempts to add humor by writing the way one would talk when letting their literal hair down in the privacy of their own outhouse - "don't cha". This is how the word "until" has been replaced by "till" and "'til". Before long, the amazingly accurate English language will be replaced by a series of grunts and yells and the Michael Medved show will be replaced by "Roseanne at Noon."
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  • Gone Fishing wrote...
    One thing that should change
    January 24, 2013 11:30 am
    President Obama should start acting like the chief executive he is supposed to be and quit giving stump speeches with tired rhetoric. The election is over where is the leader.
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  • HikerACE wrote...
    He's never been a leader...
    January 24, 2013 6:11 pm
    why would he start now?
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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    All depends upon what that change is.
    January 24, 2013 3:32 pm
    Do we change, and how much, for the good of our nation and our people or is our nation forced to change for the greed and desires of a select few?
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  • cigarfan wrote...
    EVOLUTION
    January 24, 2013 5:42 pm
    Everything changes, regardless of whether a creature RECOGNIZES it or not, (or can admit it or not).
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  • SeattleD wrote...
    I don't think Medved believes in evolution
    January 24, 2013 6:12 pm
    he's more of a "the world has always been exactly as it is now" type of guy.
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  • Cigarillo wrote...
    @SeattleD
    January 25, 2013 5:19 am
    Way to put words in his mouth that were never even insinuated. It's a stretch to add controversy to a thread where there's not one. I'm sure your next post will be equally ridiculous.
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  • Drool wrote...
    Cigarillo
    January 25, 2013 6:48 am
    Apparently you are ignorant of Medved's beliefs on evolution and the origins of this planet and life on it.
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  • SeattleD wrote...
    When Bush was saying "ideals of justice and conduct that are the same yesterday, today, and forever"
    January 24, 2013 6:09 pm
    he was really saying that if slavery was good yesterday, it should still be good today.
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  • Cigarillo wrote...
    @SeattleD
    January 25, 2013 5:19 am
    Can I call 'em, or what?
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  • Forrest wrote...
    Here's something that hasn't changed since 1866.
    January 26, 2013 9:16 am
    John Stuart Mill's 1866 comment: "I never meant to say that the Conservatives are generally stupid. I meant to say that stupid people are generally Conservative. I believe that is so obviously and universally admitted a principle that I hardly think any gentleman will deny it."
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    Hey psycho!
    January 26, 2013 1:41 pm
    You are not only nasty, intolerant and a little cuckoo, but you lack any logical thought process or the ability to rationalize anything except your self-diluting sense of righteousness. You’ve convinced yourself that what you think is good and just and by definition it makes anybody who disagrees with you wrong and evil. That is the definition of insane, and I feel sorry for you.
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    You're so vain
    January 26, 2013 2:37 pm
    You probably think this post is about you don't you? Don't you?
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    Gotcha!
    January 26, 2013 4:07 pm
    Nah nah nah nah nah nah...
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  • Kathie wrote...
    Liberals the stupid ones.
    January 27, 2013 8:02 am
    This is what it should say. "I never meant to say that the Liberals are generally stupid. I meant to say that stupid people are generally Liberals. I believe that is so obviously and universally admitted a principle that I hardly think any gentleman will deny it." I have never met more stupid people than liberals. All you have to do is watch one of the liberal TV stations or listen on the radio and it's simply unbelievable. I end up screaming at them within minutes. They have nothing to say that makes any sense. They lie every time they do open their mouths. But, what's really funny, when they are on a conservative talk show they can never ONCE answer a question asked. What was said the other day that I heard? Clinton and Obama will be interview by someone but all they will do is each talk for 25 minutes and never answer the question put to them.
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    Liberals the stupid ones.
    January 27, 2013 8:15 am
    That's not even a full sentence. "I end up screaming at them within minutes." That's weird. "They have nothing to say that makes any sense." Does grammar make sense to you? Proof read next time and maybe we'll take you seriously. Otherwise, better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you're an idiot, than to open it and remove it all doubt.
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  • Kathie wrote...
    What?
    January 27, 2013 10:46 am
    Not sure what you mean. I happen to be an English major but really don't care here. This is a post for a blog. Of course grammar makes sense. liberals don't.
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    An English major? That's a good one.
    January 27, 2013 11:04 am
    You better start supporting welfare programs. With an English major and your propensity for yelling at inanimate objects you are bound to need some sort of social safety net. Good luck to you!
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