Posted on 10/04/2008 2:27:00 AM PDT by AndyTheBear
Jeepers, is Jason actually from Poland? I have to ask, in that that he seems so unfamiliar with the U.S. Constitution and American history and tradition.
Just wondering....
Again thank you, dearest sister in Christ, for your outstanding essay/post!
We’re not just talking about laws enacted by Congress:
“In 1947 the Supreme Court held in Everson v. Board of Education that the establishment clause is one of the “liberties” protected by the due-process clause. From that point on, all government action, whether at the federal, state, or local level, must abide by the restrictions of the establishment clause.”
source: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/rel_liberty/establishment/index.aspx
And nobody here is talking about creating law by popular vote, so I don’t know why you brought that up.
No, I wasn’t born here, and I’m not a Polish citizen. I’m an American, but I reside in Poland.
Well thank you for clearing that up, JasoninPoland!
You had me wondering there. You see, I'm half Polish, by blood/geneology on my mother's side.
My grandmother Felixa was from Warsaw; my grandfather Stanislaus was from Krakow. They came to the United States in 1913. Together, they raised a family of seven children — two boys and five girls — who above all else they wanted to be Americans first and foremost.
Which in a certain way had regrettable consequences (from my POV) in that the Polish language, culture, and cuisine was not transmitted to my generation by my Mom or my aunts and uncles.
Of these seven children, four served in World War II: my uncles Joe and Teddy — U.S. Army, European theater; and my mother and her sister, Ann, who enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as nurses in the Pacific theater, including in POW camps with snipers loitering about and shooting Navy nurses on nightime latrine calls.
My mother is the last survivor of that first generation of Polish Americans. She will be 91 on her next birthday, this coming October 16th.
Every last one of them, however, had a greater love and appreciation for the values which made this country great than you do.
I am proud of my Polish heritage; but even more, I am proud of the thorough acculturation to American values, traditions, and heritage that has constituted the history of my mother's family. Those people knew more about America, her fundamental values, and the price to be paid to secure her liberty, her greatness, than you do.
The last. When people discuss a nation's culture they too often (I do it, too) think of it in purely political terms--a liberal political culture, such as ours (small "l" obviously)--when they should be looking at the ethnic and social cultures from which the population descend from. Certain aspects of the "old countries" for example are handed down, while some are ignored.
In the US our myths, religions, and values are essentially Judeo-Christian, even when someone is an atheist like myself--we all know about the Ten Commandments, and most of our friends and neighbors are Christian (excepting concentrated minorities). I think there are a lot of lapsed religious who aren't consciously in the Judeo-Christian tradition, but they are in fact. Our fiction, our stories, our shorthand when it comes to morality are based on the Judeo-Christian traditions. It's not set in stone with ONE religious tradition, but it's definitely in that universe. (We don't walk around quoting the Koran or Chinese philosophers or the Bhagahvadgita in casual conversation, and this is one indicator of where a culture stems from--the everyday, unselfconscious expressions of ideas we base our lives on.)
Abstract:
Signed by Washington on October 3, 1789 and entitled "General Thanksgiving," the decree appointed the day "to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God."
While there were Thanksgiving observances in America both before and after Washington's proclamation, this represents the first to be so designated by the new national government.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be – That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks – for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation – for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war –for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed – for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions – to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually – to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed – to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord – To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us – and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
(signed) G. Washington
It always makes me so terribly sad to hear about the love of their newly-adopted country shown by people such as your grandparents, your mom, and your aunts and uncles, and then to hear that so many of them are no longer living among us. With their passing we lose a unique and wonderful part of American history that can never be recaptured, and that isn’t being taught to today’s youth.
Please wish your mother a very happy 91st birthday next week from me! God bless her! My dear Dad, who passed away seven years ago this month, would have been 91 this year also, had he lived.
I have always believed that the best way we can honor our parents and other family members who are no longer with us is to exemplify those characteristic of theirs that they would have wanted us to embrace, and to 'continue' -- kind of like the passing of a baton. That is the stuff of which genuine 'legacies' are made. And betty, you do them proud!
~ joanie
“I don’t think I’ve said anything that could be construed as an attack against religion.”
I don’t mean to impugn you, JasonInPoland, especially if you are conservative. I only wish to say that by defending this silly lawsuit you enter into the debate on the side of liberals, who wish great harm to you, your lifestyle, and your ability to maintain it. It is a tactical error, in the fight against liberalism. I personally feel that it is counterproductive to our ultimate goals.
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