A few weeks ago I was speaking to some teenagers in the neighborhood and I asked if anyone could name people who were inspired. I mentioned the Founding Fathers were inspired when they wrote the Constitution. A girl then turned to her friend and said, "Yea, but Thomas Jefferson slept with his slaves." I got the distinct feeling the Founding Fathers are purposely being denigrated. Yes, they had their faults--we all do. But I made sure those kids heard some (well, OK, a LOT) of the great things those men did too.
I put together this Utah Tea Party 912 Christmas message on Washington's crossing the Delaware Christmas 1776. I then told the rarely heard story of the exemplar treatment the Founding Fathers showed the Hessian POW's--even after they offered no quarter to the Americans. My father was a Colonel in the USAF so I grew up hearing these long forgotten stories. I researched everything very carefully. I hope you all like it.
May you all have a very Merry Christmas and a most prosperous New Year.
One comment: I think we need to start thinking about more ways than just voting; I would like to see people really start teaching the Constitution to young people (most adults have no idea what it means, how it works, how it supposed to be applied) - how it works in the context of 1776 and how it should work today; so that we all understand what is means to be a Republic, what concerns the Founding Fathers had against tyranny, and bring it in to today's context. I think if we can figure out a way to educate our kids maybe we can reverse much of the damage that has been done.
Christmas Message 2009
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