Posted on 05/27/2007 6:32:51 PM PDT by K-oneTexas
I Remember By Fred Thompson
Friday, May 25, 2007
I remember when I was a kid; one thing was clear to me. The more I learned about the rest of the world, the luckier I felt just having been born in America. The more I learned about America, the more I appreciated what those who came before us built; and how exceptional they were.
Not that there aren't other great places to live, but America is unique. It's not just that we are the freest and most prosperous country the world has ever seen. America has also freed more people than any other nation in history.
A lot of people have done their part to see that we are blessed with the advantages we enjoy -- from hardworking pioneer mothers to the Framers of the Constitution. Memorial Day is coming up, though, and I'm thinking more about American soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice -- those who died to protect our way of life and make the world safe for democracy.
There are some people, though, who don't think that's such a good idea. Some people even want to use Memorial Day to protest our military's presence in Iraq. The irony is that their right to protest was paid for by people willing to risk everything to keep the forces of tyranny at bay -- here as well as Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Korea, Burma, Vietnam, the Philippines and dozens of other countries.
Over the years, a lot of people have tried to talk us out of feeling about America the way we do. Instead of pride in what America has done, they want us to feel guilty -- generally because we have so much more than rest of the world. Of course, it wouldn't help the rest of the world one whit if we had less -- either of freedom or of prosperity. On the contrary, it’s our liberties that have made us prosperous and there's no reason the rest of the world couldn't be just as well-off -- if they embraced freedom as well.
Almost always, when I talk to people who see America as the problem, their arguments are based on ignorance or an outright tangling of history. What they thought they knew about America and the world came second- and third-hand through people with axes to grind.
That's why I was troubled recently when I came across a report by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. The report's conclusion was that American colleges and universities are failing to increase their students' knowledge of America's history and institutions.
Students polled in a wide range of colleges and universities showed no real improvement in their historical knowledge. Some actually forgot part of what they'd learned in high school by the time they graduated -- and I'm talking about some of our best-known Ivy League schools.
Less than half of college seniors knew that, "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal" is from the Declaration of Independence. Less than half knew basic facts about the First Amendment. Half didn't know that the Federalist Papers were written in support of the Constitution's ratification. Only a quarter of seniors knew the purpose of the Monroe Doctrine.
This is our quandary. Memorial Day is about remembering. It’s about remembering those who died for our country; but it's also about remembering why they believed it was worth dying for. Too many Americans, though, have never been taught our own history and heritage. How can you remember something that you’ve never learned?
Fred Thompson is an actor and former Senator. His radio commentary airs on the ABC Radio Network and be blogs on The Fred Thompson Report.
RUN FRED RUN!!!
I like Fred Thompson. He reminds me more of Reagan sometimes than anyone else.
Can’t wait … will drive the MSM nuts.
BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE From HBO Films - 9 pm Sunday
We will be known forever by the tracks we leave behind.
Aidan Quin, Adam Beach, August Schellenberg and Anna Paquin star in our HBO Films event Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, Sunday at 9 pm.
And there you have the answer to all the madness. Our kids are with us for all their pre school years. Take that time to teach them about God, your religion, beliefs, righ and wrong, good and bad, and teach them about the flag. Have them go out with mom and dad each day and night to raise and lower the flag. Let them do it. Have they run it up and then bring to half staff when applicable so they know half is to honor the memory of the person who has passed.
Get them place mats with the Unites States on them. Use them at breakfast lunch or dinner OR all three meals. Show them where they live...show them where Grandparents live or where the beaches are in our country and where Independence Hall is and the White House and Congress and Gov mansions across the country.
Show them the mountains, deserts, oceans, rivers, plains etc. Show them the Grand Canyon and where it is. Show them Pikes Peak and where it is. So many beautiful things our country has to offer. They should know a LOT of these things before they even get to school.
Take them to a police station, to a hospital, to a fire station and show them the people that help the rest of us.
Teach them to have their own thoughts and beliefs but to understand and respect the thoughts and beliefs of others as well.
Congratulations to you and your family for being so responsible with your children. They will thank you if they haven’t already! Keep up the good work. We’re proud of ya.
I like Fred Thompson. He reminds me more of Reagan sometimes than anyone else.
Yeah, me too. I just hope he genuinely feels that way he talks and tries to stick those beliefs. And I hope he runs although Romney would be my second choice.
I agree! I’ve been there, and I’ve been here and here is where it’s at. I have lived in the UK, Venezeula, Saudia Arabia, and Germany. No way would I ever choose to retire to any place except Texas.
barbra Ann
For you Thompsonbots, read comments in article: Conservatives Not Cozying up to GOP’s big 3, http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1840463/postsm, posts 8 and 9.
If you still think he is God, go elsewhere. We don’t need you.
One of the things that most impresses me about Thompson, after many months as a potential candidate, the press has not found anything negative about him, no hidden sins or perversions. If he had anything negative in his closet, we should have heard of it by now. Nothing so far.
She was telling me about a lecture he did on how the Bush administration has cut funding to schools so much that important classes like Art, gym and History were going to be cut in public schools throughout the land. Then he opened for questions and opinions. Everyone who had one defended art and gym class. Nobody, not even my daughter - who's ALWAYS loved history - defended history.
As soon as she got to the "history" portion of the alleged list of classes to be cut, I started in about history and why it's so important. When she could get a word in edgewise she got to the part where the professor asked, "Isn't anyone going to defend history?" He was upset enough that he launched into a monologue on how important it is for all of us to know history.
IMO, it must be difficult to drum up an interest in real, unsanitized history when it's SOOOOOOOO mush easier to have Bill Clinton and Rosie O'donnel tell you all about it.
REAL conservatives don't need to make uncalled for, obnoxious attacks on people they've never met.
I've never known you to make such outright TROLLISH posts before.
Looks like I missed it, but since it’s HBO, we all know it’ll be on 487 times a week for the next year. :)
Your link doesn’t.
I was here before you. You'll have to make me leave.
Or, as Hilarious would say:
I remember when I was a kid; one thing was clear to me. The more I learned about the rest of the world, the more angry I felt having been born in America. The more I learned about America, the more I dreamed about ending America’s system of government and building a new America, one that has a totalitarian government with a woman in charge (me), universal health care, massive re-distribution of income from wealthy individuals and corporations to poor people who agree to vote for me, Hillary Rodham.
I trust that you will share my vision. If not, please see the man at the back of the room, the one with the manacles -he’ll guide you to the exit.
Back to DU with your little troll-baiting comments. He’s certainly more qualified and more representative of conservative ideals than Ron “Is this good Kool-Aid or what?” Paul and Rudy “Give me your guns” Guiliani.
You did not read my post #10.
You are so Latin in your mentality. Alway yammering without substance.
I will never trust you to save my country.
I’m in need sleep. I’m off.
Here is a dime. Call someone who cares.
“The requested document does not exist on this server.” ... too bad you still do and, if you are going to be a jerk about your post, at least test your link first.
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