God bless America
Thomas Jefferson once said, ‘The man who reads nothing at all is better off than the man who reads nothing but newspapers?”
At 6 ft. 2 in. and 332 pounds William Howard Taft was once stuck in a normal size bathtub and so had an oversized bathtub installed in the White House?
Abraham Lincoln was the only president to receive a patent?
Calvin Coolidge was very quiet and shy? When a lady at a dinner party informed him that she had made a wager that she could make him say more than two words, his reply was, “You lose.”
Our time at Presidents Park was a fascinating walk through history. The facts presented about each president helped to bring these men to life in a way that reading historical accounts of their time in office or watching archived media coverage cannot. After walking through the Park, these 42 men became just that in my mind… men. Our Presidents are men first and foremost. They are not giants, they are not gods, they are simply men. Men with families, hopes, dreams, fears, disappointments, and in the case of many, an amazing sense of humor. They are intelligent and patriotic. They work through their terms in office, day after day, making decisions based on faith, good intent, and their vision for a better United States of America. For this reason, no matter what our opinion of the individual man in office or the decisions he makes during his time as President, the office and its occupant deserve our respect.
According to Webster’s Dictionary, respect is esteem; regard; consideration; honor. Respect is not the same as agreement; respect can be shown toward those we agree with as well as those we don’t. In this case, respect is a realization that the President of the United States has an unenviable, demanding, stressful, trying job. Perhaps John Adams said it best, “No man who ever held the office of president would congratulate a friend on obtaining it.”
President, Presidents Park
While in office, President G.W. Bush established the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to support churches that provide social services to those in need; championed and signed a multi-billion dollar plan to give prescription drug coverage to Medicare recipients; signed a $1.35 trillion tax cut bill providing immediate refunds to all taxpayers and lowering tax rates over a 10-year period; united the American people following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, enlisted millions of Americans in volunteer service through the USA Freedom Corps in the aftermath of 9/11/01; created the Department of Homeland Security; and ordered a full-scale military invasion of Iraq, resulting in the overthrow of the Iraqi regime and the capture of President Saddam Hussein.
President Obama will make history when he is sworn in as the nation’s first African-American President. As when President Bush was sworn in eight years ago, the people of our nation are once again excited by the hope and change a new President promises to bring.
So, on the eve of the inauguration of our 44th President, I pray that as a nation, we will remember to show respect to the man who has dutifully served our country for eight years; to give thanks that we live in a nation where democracy is truly celebrated – where we are free to vote, to criticize, and to peacefully organize; and to pray for our nation, its leaders, and its citizens as we move forward.