# Adapting a classic Lord of the Rings quote to the present political situation **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** middle-earth, trump\ **Created:** [July 16, 2026, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adapting-a-classic-lord-of-the-rings-quote-to-the-present-political-situation/1031730 "2026-07-16T18:35:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2026, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adapting-a-classic-lord-of-the-rings-quote-to-the-present-political-situation/1031730/1 "2026-07-16T18:35:39Z")
I wish Trump need not have happened in my time." “So do I,” comes the reply, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” (Based on Frodo and Gandalf during a moment of quiet reflection in the Mines of Moria.) ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2026, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adapting-a-classic-lord-of-the-rings-quote-to-the-present-political-situation/1031730/2 "2026-07-16T19:13:43Z")
I’ve been thinking about that quote since 2016. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2026, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adapting-a-classic-lord-of-the-rings-quote-to-the-present-political-situation/1031730/3 "2026-07-16T22:04:57Z")
I’ve been thinking of a quote that’s from the movie (but not the book)- “What are we holding on to, Sam?” “That there’s some good in this world. And it’s worth fighting for.” Whenever I feel despair I tell myself to look to Sam. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adapting-a-classic-lord-of-the-rings-quote-to-the-present-political-situation/1031730/4 "2026-07-17T03:21:20Z")
“Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day! An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you Stand! Men of the West!” ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adapting-a-classic-lord-of-the-rings-quote-to-the-present-political-situation/1031730/5 "2026-07-17T04:54:10Z")
The silver lining for me, I guess, is gratitude for normalcy. I took the Obama, Hillary, Romney, McCain type of politician really way too much for granted. I had thought 2012 was an unusually venomous election during its time. Little did I know that the pre-2016 era would all seem like an alternate universe of maturity, decency and intelligence compared to what would come after. Trump has made me learn to not take a single thing for granted. ---
**Author:** ![f.coli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eada6e/32.png) [@f.coli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/f.coli)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adapting-a-classic-lord-of-the-rings-quote-to-the-present-political-situation/1031730/6 "2026-07-17T09:54:23Z")
Pardon me, but I’m sure it happened in Chapter 2, “The Shadow of the Past.”