It’s a common analogy, the sheep, the wolf and the sheepdog. It refers of course to the classic example of the single sheepdog, guarding a large flock of sheep from a wolf. It is no man’s obligation to stand above the rest and protect his flock, it is however, the duty of the man who does, to protect it with his life.

When the forces of evil knock on the pasture gate, you will know damn well that the sheepdog will be there. You know that he will fight tooth and nail to defend what is his to defend. And that is what I am. I strive to be a sheepdog, I strive to defend my flock under any circumstances.

President Theodore Roosevelt once gave a speech titled Citizenship in the Republic. In this speech there is a very famous excerpt, known simply as “The Man in the Arena”. President Roosevelt tells the story of a man, whose flaws were constantly pointed out by those he defended, but in the end the man had the satisfaction of knowing, that if he went into the Arena and won, he would be seen as a champion, he would bask in the glory of achievement, and if he lost, he would be content in knowing that he at least tried.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” -Theodore Roosevelt

Every man, woman and child in this great country should aim to be a sheepdog. No matter your race, religion, ethnicity, creed, or way of life. Champions are not born, they are created. And it is entirely up to each individual whether or not they want to be a sheep, a wolf, or a sheepdog.