Facing waves
Culture | Early August profiles in courage and cowardice
by Marvin Olasky
Posted 8/16/18, 09:54 am
The Pacific, contrary to its name, has violent waves, but the smoothest boat ride I ever had was crossing that ocean to Japan on a freighter loaded with Canadian timber. That’s because the ship had “bottom,” as 18th-century mariners would say, with all that wooden ballast keeping it steady even during high winds and waves. Journalists back then applied the same word to leaders like George Washington who showed steadfastness amid adversity.
