Vividly etched on my mind are the memories of Memorial Day in the small rural Iowa town of Peterson. I recall the flags unfurled at homes and on Main Street. I remember the paper Poppies that decorated everyone’s lapel. I recall with reverence the solemn feeling which prevailed in the days leading up to Memorial Day. As a young person, I knew something very sacred was about to occur.
As children in the Post-World War II era, most of our fathers and some mothers had been to war. Those who had not experienced the war themselves had experienced it on the home front in a very real way. They all knew or were closely related to someone who did not return from that war. Thus, Memorial Day was a significant community event of remembrance.
In Peterson, Memorial Day always began with a formal service at the Legion Hall on the south side of Highway 10, a block east of Main Street. In those days, the Legion Hall seemed like a rather big building. On Memorial Day morning, it was filled with people paying their respects to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country. Everyone was dressed in their finest, because that was one way you showed your respect back then. When the time arrived for the program to begin, the colors were advanced by the honor guard. Everyone stood in silence and either saluted (if you had served) or placed their hand over their heart. It was the respectful thing to do. The advancement of the colors would be followed by the National Anthem which was followed by the invocation. In those days, the honor of reading “In Flanders Field” belonged to the senior student who had won the Bar Association Award. It was a treasured honor, and I imagine every student who ever read that poem remembers doing so quite clearly. Following the reading of the poem, a special speaker would deliver the Memorial Day address. I always thought those were magical words about bravery, valor, sacrifice, and service to country. It seemed as if at that moment, those who had died in the service of our country marched together as a legion of exalted patriots. Sometime during the service the high school band played a patriotic song, and those in attendance always sang “America the Beautiful” with a fever of conviction to the great promise of this wonderful land. Following the benediction, the colors were retired in the same silent and solemn manner in which they had been advanced.
As everyone exited the Legion Hall, they moved quietly to their vehicles for the trip to the hilltop cemetery just north of Peterson. The cemetery is positioned among the naturally wooded hilltop. At any season of the year, this cemetery is a beautiful and peaceful place. However, on Memorial Day, it was decked out in all of its finest patriotic glory. All of the graves of fallen patriots were decorated with small flags, white crosses, and flowers. Rising above the graves was the avenue of the flags, which engulfed the entire cemetery in red, white, and blue under the natural canopy of large Maple trees. It was a sight to behold, and you knew, without a doubt, you were entering sacred ground. As people arrived, they parked on the cemetery roadways and walked carefully through the grave yard to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the very center of the ground. At the tomb, under the fluttering stars and stripes, an abbreviated ceremony similar to that at the Legion Hall took place. This was truly one of the most moving experiences of my youth. Standing there amongst the graves and amidst the generation that came of age during the great World War humbled my heart and inspired my mind to dream of things that never were. My eyes transfixed on the honor guard reflected their patriotic pride. As I glanced about the graves and the flags, I came to the realization that the greatness of this country is found in individuals willing to make sacrifices for the greater good. On this day, it was about those individuals willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.
The ceremony came to a climatic conclusion when the Honor Guard’s salute rang through the hills and valleys which rolled away to the south of the cemetery. Then came taps, that haunting melody that reaches out to the dead and the living in a powerful call for peace and serenity. From this hilltop cemetery, the taps echoed across the valley and then returned in a softer and even more haunting refrain.
Following the ceremony at the cemetery, there came the annual tossing of the wreath into the Little Sioux River from the south and west bridges. At each bridge, prayers would be offered, a song would be sung, the Honor Guard would fire their salute, and taps would be played once more. When this was finally done, people returned to the Legion Hall where Memorial Day lunch was served.
We have so much to be thankful for in this country. Our greatness is found in the people that fill our towns, farms, and cities. This country sprang forth from the desire for individual freedom and the ability to pursue our dreams as a free people. Our Democracy has come at a mighty price of the bloodshed by so many brave patriots so this country would have the opportunity to reach the fullness of our ideals as found in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States.
Memorial Day, which was previously called Decoration Day, sprang forth from the Civil War. Its original intent was to honor the dead of both the North and the South as a way of binding the wounds of that awful conflict. Over the years there have been too many wars and too many dead. Memorial Day is a national day for paying respect to those dead who gave the last full measure of their lives so that the rest of us would have the opportunity to live ours. It is only proper and fitting that each of us should take time to respect and honor those ultimate sacrifices. God love them and embrace them in the tender arms of mercy forever.
As for the rest of us, the greatest honor and respect we can give to those who have died is to ensure that their death has not been in vain. They died to ensure that this country of, for, and by the people should not perish. As Americans, we need to reflect on the meaning of this. Our country is not about something tangible, it is about ideals - the highest and loftiest of ideals. It is about each one of us having the right and opportunity to realize the fullness of our own lives. It is about opening doors of opportunity to all members of our society. It is about all those noble words written and spoken that elevate the human experience for all people. To hold high these ideals and strive to ensure the blessing of liberty for ourselves, each other, and posterity is the greatest tribute we can pay to those who died valiantly defending this very blessing.
~ Bill
Friday, May 28, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Statement on Don Dye's receipt of Regis and Kelly's Top Teacher Award
CONGRATULATIONS TO DON DYE for this absolutely most-deserving award! During my four years at Belmond-Klemme, I truly enjoyed working with Don. It was easy to tell he was an incredible teacher simply by listening to his students! Also Congratulations to Belmond-Klemme for providing an educational climate and environment in which an outstanding teacher like Don could truly practice his craft and be an inspiration to so many students.
~ Bill
~ Bill
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Statement on the Death of Joshua Davis
It is with great sadness that I recognize that Lance Corporal Joshua Davis died in the service of his country. Joshua, a 2009 graduate of Perry High School represented the great promise of the United States. His desire to serve his country stands as a shining example for all of us to carry on in our pursuit of the American Dream. I offer my most humble and sincere sympathy to Joshua’s parents and family.
As for those such as the Westboro Baptist Church, I say, “Shame on you.” It is one thing to act in accordance with your conscience, and it is another thing to behave in such a callous and thoughtless manner. Your Christian values alone should tell you how wrong it is to protest in the face of another person’s grief.
The United States of America is a great country. We are great country because of young men and women such as Lance Corporal Joshua Davis. Let us all remember that Joshua died for the high values and purposes of this country as found in our sacred documents the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America. Let us commit our lives to these high ideals and principles for which Joshua gave his life.
__________________________________________________________________
There was no shortage of American Pride inside the H.S. gymnasium of Perry High School on Saturday, May 15, 2010. There were also no shortage of tears. Lance Corporal Joshua Michael Davis was killed in combat on May 7, 2010, in Afghanistan. Stories were told of a young man who was a hard worker, big dreamer, and - most of all - a patriot.
There was a story about when he was 16 and working, he was such a hard worker that the bosses wanted to give him a raise. This presented a problem since there were guys there who had seniority over him and they were not getting raises. So in order to give Josh a raise, everybody got a raise.
This hero was shot multiple times while doing what he was trained to do, doing what he was compelled to do, doing what he loved to do. Joshua was a machine gunner who was charged with engaging the enemy when they made themselves known. Without thought of his own safety he was laying cover for his brothers so they could get into position. He gave his life for those other men, for his family, and for his country.
Just before his funeral, there was a small protest across the street. This protest was made up of 4 adults and 2 children. The protesters held up signs that read, “God hates the USA," "God Hates Fags," "God Laughs at your dead soldiers," and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.” On the other side of the street was a counter protest that was made up of about 30 people of all ages who met the opposition's chants and songs with chants and songs of their own. While the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) group tried to antagonize everyone else with their hateful message and their desecration of the Flag of the United States, people drove past to enter the funeral. While the WBC succeeded in antagonizing a few people into shouting vulgarities their way, most people kept to their songs that they learned in Sunday School. The Perry Police, Iowa State Patrol, and the Dallas County Sherriff were also on hand to monitor the groups and to keep the peace. You see, WBC are well within their rights to protest these military funerals, they are well within their rights to make these sickening statements, and yes, they are within their rights to stand on, dance on, and even blow their nose on the American Flag. The police made it clear that they were not within their rights to incite violence or impede on others' rights. The WBC are well-versed in what they are doing; they are well-practiced in protesting funerals. This is a hate group, much like the KKK or the Aryan Nation, that misrepresents religion. While it isn’t funny what they do, it is refreshing to see the group that is five times larger standing up for the fallen soldier across the street, and it is a true testament to the pride and the appreciation that we have for our soldiers when there is a group that is 50 times larger inside the gymnasium paying their respect to the young man who was defending his country and defending those six people who have so much hate in their hearts across the street.
It was said that in a conversation with his family after he joined the Marines, the WBC came up. Joshua stated that he was going to fight for their rights as free people to protest and say those hateful things.
The WBC didn’t affect the hero’s sendoff that Joshua received on May 15, 2010, they actually intensified it.
Freedom of speech is a protection for the speech we don’t like.
~ Bill
As for those such as the Westboro Baptist Church, I say, “Shame on you.” It is one thing to act in accordance with your conscience, and it is another thing to behave in such a callous and thoughtless manner. Your Christian values alone should tell you how wrong it is to protest in the face of another person’s grief.
The United States of America is a great country. We are great country because of young men and women such as Lance Corporal Joshua Davis. Let us all remember that Joshua died for the high values and purposes of this country as found in our sacred documents the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America. Let us commit our lives to these high ideals and principles for which Joshua gave his life.
__________________________________________________________________
There was no shortage of American Pride inside the H.S. gymnasium of Perry High School on Saturday, May 15, 2010. There were also no shortage of tears. Lance Corporal Joshua Michael Davis was killed in combat on May 7, 2010, in Afghanistan. Stories were told of a young man who was a hard worker, big dreamer, and - most of all - a patriot.
There was a story about when he was 16 and working, he was such a hard worker that the bosses wanted to give him a raise. This presented a problem since there were guys there who had seniority over him and they were not getting raises. So in order to give Josh a raise, everybody got a raise.
This hero was shot multiple times while doing what he was trained to do, doing what he was compelled to do, doing what he loved to do. Joshua was a machine gunner who was charged with engaging the enemy when they made themselves known. Without thought of his own safety he was laying cover for his brothers so they could get into position. He gave his life for those other men, for his family, and for his country.
Just before his funeral, there was a small protest across the street. This protest was made up of 4 adults and 2 children. The protesters held up signs that read, “God hates the USA," "God Hates Fags," "God Laughs at your dead soldiers," and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.” On the other side of the street was a counter protest that was made up of about 30 people of all ages who met the opposition's chants and songs with chants and songs of their own. While the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) group tried to antagonize everyone else with their hateful message and their desecration of the Flag of the United States, people drove past to enter the funeral. While the WBC succeeded in antagonizing a few people into shouting vulgarities their way, most people kept to their songs that they learned in Sunday School. The Perry Police, Iowa State Patrol, and the Dallas County Sherriff were also on hand to monitor the groups and to keep the peace. You see, WBC are well within their rights to protest these military funerals, they are well within their rights to make these sickening statements, and yes, they are within their rights to stand on, dance on, and even blow their nose on the American Flag. The police made it clear that they were not within their rights to incite violence or impede on others' rights. The WBC are well-versed in what they are doing; they are well-practiced in protesting funerals. This is a hate group, much like the KKK or the Aryan Nation, that misrepresents religion. While it isn’t funny what they do, it is refreshing to see the group that is five times larger standing up for the fallen soldier across the street, and it is a true testament to the pride and the appreciation that we have for our soldiers when there is a group that is 50 times larger inside the gymnasium paying their respect to the young man who was defending his country and defending those six people who have so much hate in their hearts across the street.
It was said that in a conversation with his family after he joined the Marines, the WBC came up. Joshua stated that he was going to fight for their rights as free people to protest and say those hateful things.
The WBC didn’t affect the hero’s sendoff that Joshua received on May 15, 2010, they actually intensified it.
Freedom of speech is a protection for the speech we don’t like.
~ Bill
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Immigration, Off-shore Drilling, and the President's Address at Michigan
IMMIGRATION:
Before passing judgment on State of Arizona Senate Bill 1070, I took time to read the bill in its entirety. While reading this bill, I found a number of items of concern, but I am going to address three things that are at the heart of this issue.
Article 8. Enforcement of Immigration Laws is an addition to Sec. 2. Title 11. Chapter 7. The two items of greatest concern in this addition is B, which deals with “Reasonable Suspicion” as a justification for determining if a person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States; and E, which involves the use of “Probable Cause” as a justification for arresting a person if it is believed the person has committed any public offense that makes the person removable from the United States.
My third item of greatest concern is found under Sec. 4 Smuggling: classification: definitions. Item E reads, “Notwithstanding any other law, a peace officer may lawfully stop any person who is operating a motor vehicle if the officer has reasonable suspicion to believe the person is in violation of any civil traffic law and this section.”
The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
A huge problem with the Arizona State Senate Bill 1070 arises from the provisions regarding “Reasonable Suspicion” and “Probable Cause.” Reasonable suspicion is a very loose concept with a great deal of room for interpretation. Reasonable suspicion must be more than a hunch, but does not require a preponderance of evidence. Under SB 1070, reasonable suspicion could be based on a person’s ethnicity. Probable cause requires a higher degree of justification, but under SB 1070, it is the sinister partner of reasonable suspicion.
As currently written, this bill is fertile ground for abuse by law enforcement officers armed with the tools of reasonable suspicion and probable cause. Under this bill, reasonable suspicion can be based on a person’s ethnicity. Since the primary concern regarding illegal immigrants involves individuals of Hispanic heritage, the law represents a blatant legalization of profiling. Once a person has been stopped based on the grounds of reasonable suspicion, the next step is to determine if there is any probably cause for further action.
While a rational person would question the legitimacy of this law based on the 4th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, there are a number of court cases which would suggest SB 1070 will result in unconstitutional behavior on the part of Arizona Law Enforcement. The one case I will cite is Ornelas v United States. In an 8-1 decision, the court established that the principal components of a determination of reasonable suspicion or probable cause will be the events which occurred leading up to the stop or search, and then the decision whether these historical facts, viewed from the standpoint of an objectively reasonable police officer, amount to reasonable suspicion or probable cause.
The fact-of-the-matter is SB 1070 represents very bad legislation. It arouses a great deal of concern within a specific population of our society, and Americans as a whole. There is every reason to believe it will be the basis for wholesale profiling.
One of the reasons given for this legislation is the lack of resolve on the part of the federal government to act on the issue of illegal immigration. We cannot wait any longer. The United States House of Representatives and Senate need to pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform which protects our borders and includes a pathway to legalization. Of all the options for dealing with the issue of immigration, Comprehensive Immigration Reform makes the most sense for strengthening our economy and adhering to our proud history of immigration.
ENVIRONMENT AND OIL:
When are we going to realize that there are certain human activities that just do not go well with nature? Off-shore drilling for oil and associated functions is one of those activities. The catastrophic events associated with the current oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a grim reminder of what is actually taking place on a much smaller scale a whole lot more frequently than we might like to think.
What we are experiencing with this current accident is an intense and prolonged hydrocarbon gushing. This accident will take a long time to resolve because the pressure in the drilling zone is so intense that it can only be resolved by the drilling of what is called a lean hole to stop the blowout. While this type of accident is unusual, the other type of accident which goes mostly unnoticed by the public involves routine episodes of hydrocarbon spills and blowouts which can be resolved in hours or days. However, despite the lack of public attention these lesser episodes attract, their ecological hazard and environmental risk can be considerable on the marine environment.
The current oil spill in the Gulf is huge and growing. It is anticipated that this situation will result in as much as 200,000 gallons of hyrdrocarbon gushing into the Gulf each and every day for some time to come. This oil spill not only threatens the marine environment, but as it comes ashore, it threatens wildlife, the fishing industry, and the tourist industry for the entire Gulf Coast region.
BP and Transocean must be held accountable for this accident. The United States Attorney General should file an injunction against BP and Transocean prohibiting them from activities in which they may seek to extort small fisheries and sole proprietors to sign a release. The Attorney General acting on behalf of the entire region should mount a full scale investigation which seeks to determine fair restitution for all those impacted by this awful ecological tragedy.
While it would be difficult to undo all of the off-shore drilling that is currently in place, the President and Congress should act to ensure no new off-shore drilling. Furthermore, steps must be taken to hold current drilling operations to a much higher standard of construction and safety. Our sympathy must go to the families of those who lost their lives during this terrible accident.
What needs to occur in this country is a massive commitment to and investment in biotechnology and renewable fuels. We are on the cusp of a biotechnology revolution which will allow us to go a long way down the road towards renewable and clean fuels. We need to see a serious and long term commitment to research and development centers such as the Bioeconomy Institute at Iowa State University. We need to invest in emerging technologies now and be prepared to evolve with the science in achieving an energy policy in this country that is compatible with our environment.
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN COMMENCEMENT SPEECH:
I had the privilege to watch the President’s Commencement speech at the University of Michigan on Saturday, May 1. I was quickly reminded why I feel so strongly about President Obama. His words are words that inspire and cause others to aspire to greatness. His words set a tone of leadership that calls out to others to join in a journey to a better day.
During his address, the President reached back into our history to help build an understanding that politics is not for the faint of heart. In fact, politics requires courage, determination, and a firm resolve to overcome those who would oppose change. In 2008, the people of this country said loud and clear that they wanted change. Change must occur because society changes, times change, generations change, and our nation must change as well. It has been happening for over 200 years, and it must continue if we are going to remain a great Democracy.
President Obama reminded us that past Presidents such as Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson believed that the role of government was to act on behalf of the people. In fact, Lincoln said, “The role of government is to do for the people what they cannot do better for themselves.” The President went on to identify many of the ways government functions to provide all people with a better life.
President Obama spoke to the importance of public and civil discourse. He talked about the abundance of information that is available to all citizens, and how it is our responsibility to seek out information that is accurate. He said, “That is why we need an educated citizenry.” In fact, Thomas Jefferson called an “educated citizenry” the greatest defense of Democracy.
If you want the real impact of this great speech, the text is easy to find on the Internet as is plenty of commentary. What I recommend is you read the speech for yourself and then make up your own mind. As for me, I am with the President, and I believe we can and must do better!
~ Bill
Before passing judgment on State of Arizona Senate Bill 1070, I took time to read the bill in its entirety. While reading this bill, I found a number of items of concern, but I am going to address three things that are at the heart of this issue.
Article 8. Enforcement of Immigration Laws is an addition to Sec. 2. Title 11. Chapter 7. The two items of greatest concern in this addition is B, which deals with “Reasonable Suspicion” as a justification for determining if a person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States; and E, which involves the use of “Probable Cause” as a justification for arresting a person if it is believed the person has committed any public offense that makes the person removable from the United States.
My third item of greatest concern is found under Sec. 4 Smuggling: classification: definitions. Item E reads, “Notwithstanding any other law, a peace officer may lawfully stop any person who is operating a motor vehicle if the officer has reasonable suspicion to believe the person is in violation of any civil traffic law and this section.”
The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
A huge problem with the Arizona State Senate Bill 1070 arises from the provisions regarding “Reasonable Suspicion” and “Probable Cause.” Reasonable suspicion is a very loose concept with a great deal of room for interpretation. Reasonable suspicion must be more than a hunch, but does not require a preponderance of evidence. Under SB 1070, reasonable suspicion could be based on a person’s ethnicity. Probable cause requires a higher degree of justification, but under SB 1070, it is the sinister partner of reasonable suspicion.
As currently written, this bill is fertile ground for abuse by law enforcement officers armed with the tools of reasonable suspicion and probable cause. Under this bill, reasonable suspicion can be based on a person’s ethnicity. Since the primary concern regarding illegal immigrants involves individuals of Hispanic heritage, the law represents a blatant legalization of profiling. Once a person has been stopped based on the grounds of reasonable suspicion, the next step is to determine if there is any probably cause for further action.
While a rational person would question the legitimacy of this law based on the 4th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, there are a number of court cases which would suggest SB 1070 will result in unconstitutional behavior on the part of Arizona Law Enforcement. The one case I will cite is Ornelas v United States. In an 8-1 decision, the court established that the principal components of a determination of reasonable suspicion or probable cause will be the events which occurred leading up to the stop or search, and then the decision whether these historical facts, viewed from the standpoint of an objectively reasonable police officer, amount to reasonable suspicion or probable cause.
The fact-of-the-matter is SB 1070 represents very bad legislation. It arouses a great deal of concern within a specific population of our society, and Americans as a whole. There is every reason to believe it will be the basis for wholesale profiling.
One of the reasons given for this legislation is the lack of resolve on the part of the federal government to act on the issue of illegal immigration. We cannot wait any longer. The United States House of Representatives and Senate need to pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform which protects our borders and includes a pathway to legalization. Of all the options for dealing with the issue of immigration, Comprehensive Immigration Reform makes the most sense for strengthening our economy and adhering to our proud history of immigration.
ENVIRONMENT AND OIL:
When are we going to realize that there are certain human activities that just do not go well with nature? Off-shore drilling for oil and associated functions is one of those activities. The catastrophic events associated with the current oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a grim reminder of what is actually taking place on a much smaller scale a whole lot more frequently than we might like to think.
What we are experiencing with this current accident is an intense and prolonged hydrocarbon gushing. This accident will take a long time to resolve because the pressure in the drilling zone is so intense that it can only be resolved by the drilling of what is called a lean hole to stop the blowout. While this type of accident is unusual, the other type of accident which goes mostly unnoticed by the public involves routine episodes of hydrocarbon spills and blowouts which can be resolved in hours or days. However, despite the lack of public attention these lesser episodes attract, their ecological hazard and environmental risk can be considerable on the marine environment.
The current oil spill in the Gulf is huge and growing. It is anticipated that this situation will result in as much as 200,000 gallons of hyrdrocarbon gushing into the Gulf each and every day for some time to come. This oil spill not only threatens the marine environment, but as it comes ashore, it threatens wildlife, the fishing industry, and the tourist industry for the entire Gulf Coast region.
BP and Transocean must be held accountable for this accident. The United States Attorney General should file an injunction against BP and Transocean prohibiting them from activities in which they may seek to extort small fisheries and sole proprietors to sign a release. The Attorney General acting on behalf of the entire region should mount a full scale investigation which seeks to determine fair restitution for all those impacted by this awful ecological tragedy.
While it would be difficult to undo all of the off-shore drilling that is currently in place, the President and Congress should act to ensure no new off-shore drilling. Furthermore, steps must be taken to hold current drilling operations to a much higher standard of construction and safety. Our sympathy must go to the families of those who lost their lives during this terrible accident.
What needs to occur in this country is a massive commitment to and investment in biotechnology and renewable fuels. We are on the cusp of a biotechnology revolution which will allow us to go a long way down the road towards renewable and clean fuels. We need to see a serious and long term commitment to research and development centers such as the Bioeconomy Institute at Iowa State University. We need to invest in emerging technologies now and be prepared to evolve with the science in achieving an energy policy in this country that is compatible with our environment.
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN COMMENCEMENT SPEECH:
I had the privilege to watch the President’s Commencement speech at the University of Michigan on Saturday, May 1. I was quickly reminded why I feel so strongly about President Obama. His words are words that inspire and cause others to aspire to greatness. His words set a tone of leadership that calls out to others to join in a journey to a better day.
During his address, the President reached back into our history to help build an understanding that politics is not for the faint of heart. In fact, politics requires courage, determination, and a firm resolve to overcome those who would oppose change. In 2008, the people of this country said loud and clear that they wanted change. Change must occur because society changes, times change, generations change, and our nation must change as well. It has been happening for over 200 years, and it must continue if we are going to remain a great Democracy.
President Obama reminded us that past Presidents such as Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson believed that the role of government was to act on behalf of the people. In fact, Lincoln said, “The role of government is to do for the people what they cannot do better for themselves.” The President went on to identify many of the ways government functions to provide all people with a better life.
President Obama spoke to the importance of public and civil discourse. He talked about the abundance of information that is available to all citizens, and how it is our responsibility to seek out information that is accurate. He said, “That is why we need an educated citizenry.” In fact, Thomas Jefferson called an “educated citizenry” the greatest defense of Democracy.
If you want the real impact of this great speech, the text is easy to find on the Internet as is plenty of commentary. What I recommend is you read the speech for yourself and then make up your own mind. As for me, I am with the President, and I believe we can and must do better!
~ Bill
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