“Courage is the first of all the virtues because if you haven't courage, you may not have the opportunity to use any of the others.”

Courage may or may not be the first of all virtues but I like it.

It will take a lot of courage for Americans to take back "America" from the thugs who have hijacked it.

Not necessarily first Without good judgement, courage may be foolhardy. Of what value is it then? All virtues are relative.

OK then, what can we even agree is virtuous? How about telling the truth -- we lie because we are not brave enough to let the truth be known. It takes courage to speak the truth -- more and more every day it seems. How about Love? Who can love without the courage to not be loved in return? Or is love simply a transaction? Who can face the devil without courage? Who can face Goliath but the brave (and perhaps the 'foolhardy')? Isn't it cowardice that prevents Americans from speaking out and calling their governors to task? Won't it take courage to challenge the 'brown shirts'? Won't it take courage to lay one's life down for another or for one's country? On the news every night aren't we told to fear 'danger' everywhere? Why should we be afraid? Because fear keeps us in line. There is no honor in goose-stepping and imposing draconian security measures upon Americans. America can only be the land of the free if we remain the home of the brave.

Without kindness and compassion courage is an empty song.

Kindness and compassion require the willingness to sacrifice something you have that has worth and that you may need for yourself one day. You need courage to exercise compassion. Kindness and compassion that does not require personal sacrifice is just empty, meaningless empathy. Feeling someone's pain does not help them. Taking the pain for them does.