Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of John Wayne's death. What a fantastic actor he was. I have seen countless John Wayne movies, most of them worth watching over and over. True Grit, Red River, The Searchers, Stagecoach, McClintock, Rio Bravo, The Shootist, The Green Berets, Sands Of Iwo Jima - timeless classics.Many of the characters John Wayne portrayed had the qualities of what made this nation great. Self-reliance, honesty, integrity, courage, determination, discerning what was right and doing it.
Beyond his enormous on-screen presence, John Wayne was a true American patriot. He loved America and eschewed anyone who talked bad about her or tried to take her off of the course established by our Founding Fathers.
Here are a couple of quotes from Wayne that show his conservative position on issues:
Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I'm not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be. I was proud when President Nixon ordered the mining of Haiphong Harbor, which we should have done long ago, because I think we're helping a brave little country defend herself against Communist invasion. (1)
When asked how blacks could address the inequities of the past, Wayne replied:
By going to school. I don't know why people insist that blacks have been forbidden to go to school. They were allowed in public schools wherever I've been. I think any black man who can compete with a white can get a better break than a white man. I wish they'd tell me where in the world they have it better than right here in America. (1)We all owe John Wayne a great debt because to this day he is still influencing the ideals of the American people through his movies.
(1) Wikipedia