Ken Taylor.
Remember that name?
If you do, you might not want to admit it since it was only in the news once, and that was forty-seven years ago.
Ken Taylor was the Canadian who was a hero in every American’s eyes at the beginning of the Iranian plague upon the earth.
Let me give you a little history.
Iran used to be run by the Shah of Iran, a guy who inherited a government from his father in what was really a dictatorship, but which must have provided some form of acceptable government in that it lasted for over fifty years. But it was far from perfect and in the 1970’s, with the government accused of many shortcomings, including economic mismanagement, an extravagant lifestyle by the Shah and his family, unequal distribution of wealth, vicious secret police, extremely close ties with the US, and a fear that Islamist beliefs were being eroded, the Shah was chased into exile in Egypt in 1979.
The change in government, however, did not end the hostilities since, with the Shah gone, the various minorities began to jockey for position with the Islamist theocrats eventually consolidating and maintaining power until the present time. That period, from 1979 until today, is the 47 years of hostilities by Iran towards the US that we are hearing about now.
My focus today, as indicated above, is in regard to this fellow, Ken Taylor, a Canadian, not an American, and his role in assisting the US in the upheaval of the revolution which brought the Islamists to power.
Islam is, of course, a religion, and religious organizations are usually known for their generous attitudes toward other people, but the transition of power was anything but smooth, and one of the hot spots of the revolutionary warfare was the US embassy in Tehran.
Canada, while with nowhere the kind of relationship that the US had with Iran, meaning not occupying a special place on the Islamist clerics’ hate list, did have an embassy there as well, and Ken Taylor was Canada’s Ambassador to Iran. He therefore had what few others in Tehran had, an acute awareness of the danger that the people at the American embassy were in and a friendship with them.
He then did what few of us would have had the courage to do.
Almost certainly at the risk of his own life and that of his wife, Ken Taylor and his deputy ambassador hid six of the US embassy diplomats in their houses for three months, then put together a scheme whereby he hoped to smuggle them out of Iran.
Working very carefully and very secretly, he communicated his plan to those in Ottawa who needed to know, and who could help him, and had fake passports and visas prepared on official Canadian paper and on printing machines in Ottawa so they looked authentic.
And on January 27th, 1980, he led his charges to the airport in Tehran with the story that they were a Canadian film crew searching for a location, likely to film a movie, and got them past the Iranian security people and onto a plane which lifted them into the sky and out of Iran. Taylor also left later that day. His wife had left the day before.
Most people today in both Canada and the United States will not know this story, but everyone in both countries knew it in 1980. Ken Taylor’s name was known in the whole free world for his heroism, for his ingenuity and for his loyalty to a neighbour.
It was certainly known to one of the neighbours across our southern border.
Ronald Reagan.
You might have heard of him.
As president at the time, he was dealing with more than one hostage taking by the Iranians. In addition to the one I have been describing, there was another one in which over fifty hostages, from the same US embassy, were kept for 444 days.
Reagan was very appreciative of the heroic work of Ambassador Taylor and, on June 16, 1981, presented him with the Congressional Gold Medal, at the time the only time it had been presented to a Canadian. At the presentation, here is part of what he had to say.
“Ambassador Taylor, it’s a great pleasure to present this medal to you on behalf of the American people, who are grateful to you and grateful to our neighbour, Canada.”
Taylor was equally gracious in his reply:
“The presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal, President Reagan, not only means a great deal to myself and my family, but I think it underlines the very unique and very special relationship between Canada and the United States.
The United States faces the rebuffs of history with patience, determination, and a search for justice. For this, you have gained the everlasting respect of all Canadians. Moreover, your great generosity to all, your tolerance, cements the long-lasting and precious friendship which Canadians and United States citizens share.”
Ken Taylor.
A good Canadian name to remember!
