Margaret Chase Smith: This I Believe

Hi all,

I'm writing my paper on Margaret Chase Smith, and I've really loved researching and reading the documents she's written—speeches, articles, letters, etc.

I found this short piece that she wrote for Edward R. Murrow's (a renowned NBC broadcaster) series called This I Believe, basically asking people (famous and non-famous) to write statements on what motivates them to keep going with their work.

Hers is short and extremely eloquent, and touches very nicely on a subject she was passionate about: free speech, moral courage, and standing up to demagogues. Of course, when she was writing and working, the demagogue she was talking about was Joseph McCarthy (and I highly recommend reading/listening to her "Declaration of Conscience" too). But I think that we can find her message just as relevant now as ever.

Her voice is also beautifully lyrical too; she has a fascinating, almost Southern-sounding drawl, mixed with a higher-society New England accent.

I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I did!