Starting the USA-The one that gave us the Constitution

"I consent, sit, to this Constitution because I expect no better; and because I am not sure that it is not the best." as quoted by Benjamin Franklin in a Speech at the Constitutional Convention, Pennsylvania Sept 17 1787

At the time of this speech, there seemed to be an impasse with all the delegates in the final wording. Everyone wanting their words, but no one wanting to give in. It was after this speech of his that the motion was finally carried to complete what we know today as the Constitution of the United States of America; by far the best country out there. A government by the people, for the people, and of the people. Not a government that runs the people.

Please remember this; the purpose of our government to serve us, not to run us and our daily lives...as I greatly fear we are headed.

Happy Fourth of July!

Starting the USA-We have all the same

"…Citizens, by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism, more than any appellation derived from loyal discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles, and liberty you posses are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts, or common dangers, sufferings, and successes." as quoted by George Washington in his Farewell address on Sept 17 1796

Again, I find it interesting that the first thing that he states we all have in common (thought with shades of differences) is religion. These great men that I am quoting this week were proud of this country. I am proud to belong to this country. Are you?

Starting the USA-Liberty or Death

"Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone. It is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. … …..Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" as quoted by Patrick Henry in his speech to the second Virginia Convention, March 23 1775

This is from a very famous speech, mostly for the line. I find it very interesting how hard we try to keep God and religion out of this country today when He was very much in the minds of our Founding Fathers.

Starting the USA-It all begins with...

For the next four days, we will be looking at quotes of our founding fathers and one from even earlier. Today, is the earliest quote; John Winthrop who came over and helped to start one of the first colonies which was just a small step to the great USofA:

"The great questions that have troubled the country are about the authority of the magistrates and the liberty of the people. It is yourselves who have called us to this office, and, being called by you, we have our authority from God, in way of an ordinance, such as hath the image of God eminently stamped upon it, the contempt and violation whereof hath been vindicated with examples of divine vengeance. I entreat you to consider that, when you choose magistrates, you take them from among yourselves, men subject to like passions as you are." as quoted by John Winthrop in his Acquittal speech before the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1645

Abraham Lincoln speaks for all the presidents

Yesterday was President's Day! I was looking around at quotes from some of our more memorable Presidents and ran across this quote from Abraham Lincoln. It's a quote that all Presidents can probably relate to

"If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference." as quoted by Abraham Lincoln from The Inner Life of Abraham Lincoln: Six Months at the White House by Francis B. Carpenter (Lincoln, Nebraska, University of Nebraska Press, 1995), pp. 258-259.

This weekend is Scout Sabbath for the Scouts; this is a day to remember the founding of the scouts in the United States. The worldwide scout movement was begun by Robert Baden-Powell. So today we have two quotes from this fine gentleman:

"Be Prepared... the meaning of the motto is that a scout must prepare himself by previous thinking out and practicing how to act on any accident or emergency so that he is never taken by surprise" as quoted by Robert Baden Powell

"A Scout smiles and whistles under all circumstances" as quoted by Robert Baden Powell.

Who else today?

"If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well." As quoted by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Splitting hairs

It was exactly 10 years ago today that Paula Jones publicly accused former President Clinton of sexual harassment. So, to highlight this day, a fine quote:

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman" as quoted by then President Clinton in reference to his relationship with Monica Lewinsky; it would later come out that he did have sexual relations with her.

Common Sense

"Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness Positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher." as quoted by Thomas Paine in Common Sense

Today is the date when Common Sense was first anonymously published 232 years ago (1776) in which he paid for the first printing and gained no money from publishing it ever as he donate the copyright to the states.