Monday, February 15, 2010

President's Day

When is the last time you read the Constitution of the USA? How long will it take you to read it again or for the first time? It's written in English and did not have to be translated from German, Russian or Chinese.

Today is not President's Day, Well, not really. When I first arrived in America, the USA celebrated two President's birthdays. Lincoln's on February 12th, Friday usually as I recollect, and Washington's on February 22nd. It was later changed to only one day supposedly to save a day of school for our children or perhaps to give us a permanent 3 day holiday, but whatever the reason, I feel the celebration of both men went by the wayside as a result.

I revere George Washington's Birthday today because he was the first President and for no other reason. I think we should remember and celebrate him for his exceptional leadership and exceptional humility being the first President of our nation. If you wish to be convinced of either of those reasons, just read the first parts of his farewell address.

At the end of Washington's term as president, there were people willing to throw away all that he fought for, by declaring him King. Did you know that? Which proves that we have been fighting for our freedom from the conception of our Declaration of Independence to the ratification of the US Constitution to this moment in time today.

If you ever thought that we can sit and just be at peace, it is the biggest glass of KoolAid you have ever consumed. Not one, absolutely not one species in existence can afford to think that or they'd be taken out of existence not by big bad humans, but by their own. Survival of the species is so strong that tolerance is limited. Yes, every species on earth has enemies within and without. George Washington refers to it in warning, looking to the future, in his farewell speech.

Every mammal, insect, or plant life, & microcosmic species, knows of survival and it's need of eternal vigilance, except the human it seems, and of them only a small fraction who happen to be the biggest developers of comfort. Interesting, don't you think? Reality is that there are always others ready to take your "comfort", "safety" "freedom" and "life" from you. Let it be for just one minute without your vigilance and you'll find your bank account empty, your house occupied and your family strewn across lands or consumed by illness. The fact is you are always fighting for your life and the US Constitution is your biggest weapon in one of those battles.

So, are you ready to fight for and defend the freedom true to the US Constitution? Read it first. It will take about 30 minutes of reading and a lifetime of study to absorb and revere the wisdom within those pages. Knowledge is your weapon, don't just believe what is being told you, research it, study it and become the voice. Read about the powers that were afforded to each arm of our government. Ask yourself who is usurping those powers today because they are the enemies of your freedom and survival.

Toward this, let me quote one part of President Washington's farewell speech:
19 Towards the preservation of your government, and the permanency of your present happy state, it is requisite, not only that you steadily discountenance irregular oppositions to its acknowledged authority, but also that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles, however specious the pretexts. One method of assault may be to effect, in the forms of the constitution, alterations, which will impair the energy of the system, and thus to undermine what cannot be directly overthrown. In all the changes to which you may be invited, remember that time and habit are at least as necessary to fix the true character of governments, as of other human institutions; that experience is the surest standard, by which to test the real tendency of the existing constitution of a country; that facility in changes, upon the credit of mere hypothesis and opinion, exposes to perpetual change, from the endless variety of hypothesis and opinion; and remember, especially, that, for the efficient management of our common interests, in a country so extensive as ours, a government of as much vigor as is consistent with the perfect security of liberty is indispensable. Liberty itself will find in such a government, with powers properly distributed and adjusted, its surest guardian.


Those who are unwilling to educate themselves are too weak and will succumb, and those who are strong in knowledge will prevail.

Thanks for reading.
Anni