My cousin was cleaning out a storage room and came across a speech my father, J. Russell Kirby, gave to a civic group in the early 1970s about the high price of freedom. She sent it to me because I’m a lawyer, have always had an interest in politics and she thought even though the speech was written 50 years ago, its message resonates today as we just celebrated the 250th anniversary of our country.
My father’s values and perspective of the world were forged by the experiences of living through the Great Depression and serving in active combat in the Pacific Theater in World War II.
As a youth growing up in the Great Depression era, he saw firsthand the struggles of people suffering from poverty. These were good, decent and hard-working folks who had no productive work because of the economic collapse on Wall Street and Main Street. The challenges of the poor were seared into his soul as a child. Also, like many of his generation, he volunteered to serve his country during World War II. In 1943, he graduated from UNC on Saturday and was on the troop train the next day on Sunday to travel across the country to start basic training in the military. Two years later he landed on Iwo Jima, one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific, on D-1, the day of the invasion. During the amphibious assault, he suffered very serious wounds from mortar shrapnel but fought on and saw the raising of the flag on Mount Suribachi. (He kept a photograph of the famous flag raising on Iwo Jima behind his desk throughout his legal career as a reminder of the heavy price of his life and freedom.) I think he felt a huge debt to his fellow soldiers and Marines and he felt a huge obligation to give back to his country and fellow man as he was fortunate enough to leave that island alive.
For these reasons, my father decided to pursue a career in law and public service and was a mayor, a prosecutor and served six terms in the legislature as a state senator from Wilson County. He practiced law for 48 years as a partner in Kirby, Webb and Hunt with NC Supreme Court Justice John Webb and NC Governor Jim Hunt.
When I read my father’s speech from five decades ago, what resonated with me was the notion of those willing to sacrifice for the greater good. We seem to be worried about what somebody is going to post on the Internet. Many who hold public office seem to put their full concentration on re-election. There seem to be very few in public service today who are willing to go against conventional wisdom or go against the tide of their own party or what they see is wrong or the poor direction of the country.
In his speech, he eloquently makes the point that we should cherish this wonderful country and never be fearful of standing up and speaking out when our democracy and freedoms are threatened, regardless of the potential consequences.
Thank you, Dad, for reminding me of these timeless truths and thank you to my cousin, Susan Barnes, for sending this speech to me. As lawyers who are privileged to be in the legal profession, I hope we always defend the rule of law and never forget the high price others have paid for us to enjoy the democracy in which we live.
Excerpt from J. Russell Kirby’s Speech: “The High Price of Freedom”
I’ve decided to talk to you about the High Price of Freedom.
I wonder if all of us have not gotten away from some of the basic teachings laid down for us by our founding fathers. It appears to me we have let hate grow where love should flourish.
We seem to accept the proposition that it is good to divide our country. East versus West. North against South. Black against White. Protestant against Catholic. The poor against the rich. Tenant versus landlord. We seem to have forgotten about majority rule.
We have groups who want rights without responsibility. We seem to have a new God – security. We seem to have lost our capability to tolerate differences. And it is this quality that has made us great.
One of the big reasons we find ourselves in this position is that our leaders have lost the courage to speak out.
This was not always so. And I would like to demonstrate this proposition by pointing out what happened to some of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. These men spoke out in no uncertain terms – and paid the price.
What happened to these men after they signed? Two became president, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Seven became state governors. One founded the B&O Railroad. These did well. But what fate was in store for the balance of the signers? Surprisingly, none was hanged, but practically all suffered. Some suffered indignities worse than death.
These were men who were later to be called ‘reluctant rebels.’ It is certainly true that they wanted no trouble. But they were caught up in it, and they willingly pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor for the sake of their country.
Several lost wives, sons or family.
One lost his thirteen children.
All 56 at one time or another were victims of manhunts and driven from their homes.
Twelve had their houses burned. Seventeen lost everything they owned.
But not one defected or went back on his pledged word. Their honor, and the nation they did so much to create are intact to this day.
Successive generations have paid homage to these men who have grown larger than life.
Successive generations have had to come to the defense of the ideals they exemplified so well.
Successive generations have fought here and all over the world to preserve the seed these men so nobly planted for us.
Successive generations have created the greatest country ever brought forth on this earth.
The price of freedom always comes high. It was true yesterday, it is true today, and it will be true tomorrow. If you doubt it, recall what happened to the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
