Posted on 02/15/2010 2:34:35 PM PST by Mobile Vulgus
I don’t celebrate “President’s Day.” I celebrate the presidents individually, not the whole gaggle of them at once. But I most certainly don't celebrate George Washington, the father of our country, as just another president. These days, George Washington has been relegated to that “truth telling guy” to be seen on the one dollar bill and on TV commercials at the end of February or that guy lumped in with Lincoln on “President’s Day.” And that is a shame, indeed, for, without George Washington, our presidency and nation might have had a far different attitude.
But, what made Washington such a giant for our times as well as his? For one thing, he knew how to act in public.
Back in the 1700’s
In the year 1759 a man named William Robertson wrote a book called The History of Emperor Charles V, a book some claim was the standard after which modern historical study and writing has come to be patterned. Mr. Robertson, who became Principle of the University of Edinburgh in later years, introduced a salient point into the era of the Scottish Enlightenment. That idea was that "Politeness" in society would result in becoming a civilized nation. And it was a politeness perpetuated and spread through capitalism that was the best avenue to achieving that civilized level.
He wrote "In proportion as commerce made its way into the different countries of Europe they successively ... adopted those manners, which occupy and distinguish polished nations." So, as the theory goes, man by his very nature craves material possession and property. To get that property he must work for it with his best skills. To make use of these skills he must rely on neighbors to get supplies to employ such skills as well as to become customers for his skills. This leads man to act in a solicitous manner of his neighbors so that they will be disposed to employ him and his abilities. This "politeness" employed by the individual inculcates the action in society at large which, in turn, enlarges that field of involved persons to counties and then the country in general, neighboring countries and, ultimately, the world and the governments they create....
Read the rest at Publiusforum.com...
http://www.azfamily.com/news/national/84383752.html
“”Mount Vernon says day honors just one president
MOUNT VERNON, Va. — Is today Presidents Day — or George Washington’s birthday?
The people who run the Historic Mount Vernon estate, the Virginia home of the nation’s first president, say this day belongs only to him.
Emily Coleman DiBella, vice president of marketing at Mount Vernon, notes that Washington’s Birthday is the legal name for the holiday. A law decades ago that moved many public holidays to Monday, set the celebration as the 3rd Monday of February.
George Washington’s actual birthday is February 22.
Even the government Web site listing federal holidays notes that the legal designation of this day is “Washington’s Birthday” — although it acknowledges that some state and local governments and private businesses use ‘other’ names, such as Presidents Day.””
http://www.opm.gov/Operating_Status_Schedules/fedhol/2010.asp
Just remember, February 9 is William Henry Harrison Day...
Awww, dang it! I missed it again!!!
Study of our Presidents in February has been replaced with Black History Month.
Without George Washington, there would have been no United States of America. If we do not return to the principles and honor he exemplified, the U. S. of America will not survive.
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Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. |
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“Just remember, February 9 is William Henry Harrison Day...”
Wait, I thought it was Millard Fillmore day... or was it Franklin Pierce Day? I always get them all confused.
February 9th? That’s Joe Pesci’s birthday!
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