On the Right

New York, May 1—A few weeks ago, Henry Kissinger appeared at Johns Hopkins University to participate in a history seminar as he had been begged to do. The first question directed to him was: “Mr. Kissinger, are you a war criminal?” To which he gave the answer, “Gentlemen, I was under the mistaken impression that this was an academic exercise,” picked up his briefcase, went out the door, and back to the White House where, having taught history at Harvard, he now makes history.

Now here is a very interesting postscript to that story. It broke into the local press what had happened, and immediately friends and acquaintances took to congratulating him, most of them stressing the courage he had shown. The courage he had shown. That is the interesting thing. “Because,” Mr. Kissinger recently remarked, “it took no courage whatsoever. It was the natural thing to do. Why do people think it courageous to do the natural thing?”

About the Author

William F. Buckley Jr.

William F. Buckley Jr. founded National Review magazine in 1955.

New York, May 1—A few weeks ago, Henry Kissinger appeared at Johns Hopkins University to participate in a history seminar as he had been begged to do. The first question directed to him was: “Mr. Kissinger, are you a war criminal?” To which he gave the answer, “Gentlemen, I was under the mistaken impression that this was an academic exercise,” picked up his briefcase, went out the door, and back to the White House where, having taught history at Harvard, he now makes history.

Now here is a very interesting postscript to that story. It broke into the local press what had happened, and immediately friends and acquaintances took to congratulating him, most of them stressing the courage he had shown. The courage he had shown. That is the interesting thing. “Because,” Mr. Kissinger recently remarked, “it took no courage whatsoever. It was the natural thing to do. Why do people think it courageous to do the natural thing?”