Another thought about American Presidents

I have the feeling that many readers enjoyed my blogging about the religion of the American Presidents and why certain faiths are so represented historically. I also have the feeling that by grouping the Presidents in sets of ten, showing that we have had four sets of tens Presidents, plus four, that readers, especially the young, have a better feeling for the span of our history as a country. It is both a mature nation and a very young one.

I've always been a visual learner myself and teacher. I find that grouping information in certain ways helps give a quick and rich insight into what might otherwise be obscured by a lot of detailed text. For example, let's look at the grouping of ten Presidents in sequence again for another couple of insights.

If ten Presidents had only one four year term, a group of ten Presidents in a row represents only forty years. If a few of them have two four year terms that bumps the span of ten Presidents to forty eight or fifty two years. Think about that: a group of ten Presidents is well within a lifespan of an observer. Traditionally the phrase "one generation" refers to thirty years. So a group of ten Presidents could be thought of that way, in terms of generations, but isn't the idea that it's between forty and sixty years kind of interesting? It makes it more real because now you can imagine someone who lives a good long life as seeing over a fourth of the Presidents that we have ever had in our history. That helps you to understand how young our country really is, and it is far too soon and inappropriate to feel all old and jaded about the USA. I like that President Obama seems to view it that way too.

I've mentioned this before on my blog but now in this context this small story from my own family is even more interesting. My grandparents on my dad's side owned a small hotel in upstate New York, near the border with Canada. Thus it was a real country inn kind of place but the way it used to be not the quaint image people have today. Thus is was a saloon, a place to get home cooked meals, and lodging for my family and rooms for those who needed, for example, the single elderly.

Think about this. When my dad was a young man in the hotel there was a Civil War veteran who lived there, who went by the name "Pappy." Yep, you read that right. My father (who was born in 1903) personally knew a Civil War veteran and that veteran lived in my grandparents hotel, since he was a single and elderly gentleman. My dad died when I was a young child, so I did not have a chance to have conversations about such things, but my cousin who was much older than me told me about Pappy. I think that my cousin also met Pappy, but I'm not sure as Pappy would have had to have lived to quite a long age. However, what is significant is that between me and my father, one generation, we reach back to someone of the time of Lincoln and the Civil War. How cool is that?

This gives you another way to look at history, doesn't it? It shows that even though a struggle for something so crucial as Civil Rights seems to take so long, with decades of sweat and blood, on the other hand such a radical and amazing change as we have seen can take place in three generational jumps: Pappy, my father, me. Lincoln was the 16Th President. Thus Pappy to my father to me spans Presidents 16 to now President Obama, who is number 44.

So young people, do not think that your parents and your grandparents are boring and have nothing interesting to tell. Ask them to tell you about the earliest President they remember, for example, and try to get some stories from them. So many of my father's generation the "World War II" generation have died and it's sad that many of their kids and grand kids just were not interested in history or their family stories. I think that President Obama is stirring more relevance, pride and interest in American history and that's one of the implications of his presidency I find thrilling and very hopeful for rejuvenating the American spirit.

Again, think about my example... I was born during President "Ike" Eisenhower's first term so I remember him as President very well. While of course I was not yet born when his predecessor President Truman was in office, I remember him as having been current and just recently stepped down from the Presidency so he was a figure of great stability and honor along with "Ike." So just in my relative youth (ha) I have memory of (Truman), Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, GHW Bush, Clinton, GW Bush...one of those "group of ten" Presidents, twelve if you count Truman and now President Obama!

I remember Eisenhower governing and I remember, and even watched part of, the famous Kennedy-Nixon debate. My dad, a Catholic, lived to see Kennedy win and become President, but my dad died of a heart attack well before President Kennedy was assassinated. So I've been alive for and very aware of our Presidents and national and world events for just about one fourth of the Presidents our country have had!

Just think, my dad was born during the 26Th President, Theodore Roosevelt's, first term. So my dad would have been alive for and witnessed Presidents number 26 through 35, and would have obviously seen a lot more if he had not died at an early age of chronic heart ailments. But think about it: my dad was born just "ten Presidents" after Abraham Lincoln!

See. memorizing lists of Presidents is boring. But thinking about who was President and what the issues were during the time of your grandparents and parents is VERY interesting!

So even though much of the schooling in history is dismal in our schools (and thus I try to plug in some key information for you all whenever I think of something pertinent and interesting) you can make it interesting for yourselves by just sitting down with an almanac or the Internet, of course, and look up the Presidents that correspond to the lives of your family members. Then it would be fun to ask them what they thought and what they remember about each of the earliest ones.

It's not only educational but it is reassuring.

Of course it all goes back to Washington. Regular readers know that he is my favorite President because he was the first to walk the talk. President Washington had to become in reality what was needed, first as the Commander of the Revolutionary Army and then in the new role of President. As time goes on the wonder and marvel of what Washington did only grows, it does not diminish.

Washington's birthday is February 22. Lincoln's birthday is February 12.

I remember when each day was a separate national holiday, before they became mashed together into "President's Day."

I wish they were still two separate holidays, and I think with the election of President Obama you can see why. One was the father of our country, who took the impossible dream and made it honorable and real and his birthday should be celebrated with that in mind. The other fought the great Civil War, held the Union together and emancipated the slaves. Are these not two separate wonderful glowing deeds and men in our country? Should not our kids learn about them and celebrate them on their actual birthdays as national heroes and role models?

Instead President's Day is just a long weekend, a mashing together of "something about the presidents" and endless advertisements for automobiles and their "President's Day sales!"

It was really different when I was young and the days were celebrated separately. Just a little story here. In the 1950's if you did well on a school paper you would get either a sticker, a star or a rubber stamp on the top of your paper. The rubber stamps were of holiday themes, and thus included one stamp of Washington's famous profile for Washington's Birthday and another of Lincoln's profile for Lincoln's Birthday, and kids were thrilled to get one of those stamps on their paper! Kids really cared about and role modeled Washington and Lincoln, they were NOT boring. We loved Lincoln and I'm speaking as someone who grew up in a rural white community.

I blame the schools, society's rampant commercialization, and the secularization of our nation for the degrading of our education of our kids in the Presidency and in particular those two icons and heroes of our nation, Washington and Lincoln. Sigh. Remember, when you "purge" teaching about any history that mentions religion or God you are basically whiting out of discussion and textbooks half of factual human events. Look at how I had to explain why each President was of certain faiths because that is no longer taught in schools.

Anyway, I hope that you have found this more grist for thought! I've listened all day to the Inauguration activities and am very excited and hopeful. (I totally do not understand the "blah" attitude of some news personalities who were not "Obama supporters," I mean, duh, why are they not excited?) I have always been no matter who wins because that is the American way, to "give the new guy a fair shake" to use a classic expression. The snarky partisanship is so wearying and depressive and it really ought to stop. Like I said, I remember when no matter which candidate you voted for, you were still excited and supportive when one of them won and became President, even if he "wasn't your guy." That is one of the sad things about how this country's spirit has changed. I hope that people will regain that fairness and unity of American support for their President. Lord knows I've supported all the Presidents in spirit and dignity even when they have done the most dreadful things!

Pope Benedict telegrams congrats to Obama

I'm sure that all join in with the Pope in his congratulations and prayers for our new President.

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0900254.htm

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI, congratulating Barack Obama on his inauguration as U.S. president, prayed that he would remain steadfast in his dedication to promote understanding, cooperation and peace in the world.

The pope, in a Jan. 20 telegram, told Obama that he prayed God would "grant you unfailing wisdom and strength in the exercise of your high responsibilities."

Popes traditionally send a telegram of congratulations to new presidents of the United States on the day of their inauguration.

In his message to Obama, Pope Benedict said he prayed, under the new president's leadership, "may the American people continue to find in their impressive religious and political heritage the spiritual values and ethical principles needed to cooperate in the building of a truly just and free society."

The pope said he hoped the future of the United States would be "marked by respect for the dignity, equality and rights of each of its members, especially the poor, the outcast and those who have no voice."

"At a time when so many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world yearn for liberation from the scourge of poverty, hunger and violence, I pray that you will be confirmed in your resolve to promote understanding, cooperation and peace among the nations, so that all may share in the banquet of life which God wills to set for the whole human family," the pope said.

Pope Benedict also asked God to bless the Obama family and all the people of the United States.

Congratulations President Obama!

The invocation by Pastor Rick Warren: magnificent.

The poem by Elizabeth Alexander: I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a poem so much. It was just perfect.

President Obama's address: All that I hoped for. The "let's get down to business" and "we are rooted in morals and virtue" tone was just splendid and much needed.

The benediction by Rev. Lowery: what can I say how beautiful his words were? The right man at the right place to witness for the people and God.


The Internetz zey were clogged so I just got the glimpses but I am listening on CNN on my radio.

Congratulations to the nation for a wondrous deed.

Miracle on the Hudson

Like everyone else I am fascinated by and thrilled at the near miraculous safe landing of the US Airways plane via water ditching, impeccably done and the very classy contributions of all the passengers in their mutual survival. I'm proud of everyone, especially the hero pilot and his co-pilot, and thank God for his mercy.

If the guardian angels were to comment on this I think they would say of the pilot that "He was very easy to work with."

An event like this is time to remember that as there were one hundred and fifty people on board, there were one hundred and fifty guardian angels too (who would have accompanied each person however it turned out) and of course, the Holy Spirit is everywhere...

Through that they would mean that his great talent and years of experience allowed the best possible grace of assistance to flow. Miracles work with natural law and physics, not against it, so angels appreciate someone who is in command. The only one who regularly worked miraculous wonders to change the operation of natural law was, of course, Jesus Christ.

Well, I enjoyed listening to the interviews today and look forward to much more on this thankfully happy subject!

Very pleased at spectacular quality of Haj

Highest of compliments to everyone who has performed such a remarkable job at making this year's Haj so safe and spiritually satisfying for all of God's pilgrims. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Vice Custodian, the Grand Mufti and all of the government and cleric hosts of the guests of God have truly done an extraordinary job of planning and coordination.

I am additionally moved at reading the contribution of the many volunteers, ordinary people, and the security, medical and administrative personnel. Few things give me more joy than reading of the tender concern for all of the pilgrims from all walks of life, such as the giving to them of free medical care.


Bless all of them and congratulations.

Poorest of the poor build a wonderful church

This is a must read article. Thank you LA Times for its prominent placement.

These parishoners are truly role models for Christ.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-mecca7-2008dec07,0,6802947.story

Congratulations to Rep. Henry Waxman

As I've mentioned I'm an old time conservationist, with my degree in Environmental Sciences from an Ivy League university, and Rep. Henry Waxman has been on my radar for many years, for his wholehearted and reliable interest in and support of legitimate environmental causes. So I was pleased to hear and congratulate on his winning the chairmanship of House Energy and Commerce Committee. I'd send him an email through his site, but alas, I do not live in his district! So my more public congratulations will have to do. Those on the right who shudder should have a little more faith. Rep. Waxman, despite being called on at least one web site, amusingly, a "Young Turk" is, more like me, one who has been concerned about the environment before the fads of "greens" and "carbon credits," based on many mature years of very diligent thought and concern about how to address problems with our environment. I hope that he can combine his maturity of experience with badly needed new fresh momentum for genuine progress in energy and environmental matters at this critical juncture in time. Again, congratulations.

Listen to the Bishops to understand Christ

One of the bishops made this statement at their conference press conference:

"Any one of us here would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow--die tomorrow!--to bring about the end of abortion," Auxiliary Bishop Robert Hermann of St. Louis said during a press conference at the Bishops’ conference in Baltimore.

The usual people who attack Catholics have posted in "comments sections" their misunderstanding of this quotation.

The Bishops are not saying they would die to pass a law against abortion and "take away rights."

The Bishops are saying they would willingly die if their death would cause the urge and desire for abortions to end. They are not speaking of the law, since even when the laws existed so did abortions. The Bishops are saying they would give up their own life gladly if in return there was a miracle and no one wanted and desired abortions any more.

THAT is genuine Christ consciousness. Look no further for a genuine example. I, of course, feel the same way as the Bishops.

I feel great pride in their marvelous manifestation of faith and testimony for life, and congratulate them in this statement which expresses Christ consciousness more than anything else, except a statement of belief in God, which of course is always the primary testimony from any believer.

Congratulations message from Pope to Obama

President elect Obama received a great message from Pope Benedict XVI and also from Cardinal Bertone.

http://www.zenit.org/article-24161?l=english

Hockey coach Catholic priest, 93, to be honored

What a great story this is! Let me add my congratulations and birthday wishes.

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=27603084-7249-473d-bd03-7463ddadfeec

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Tribute to Father Cullen
By Dave Waddell, Windsor Star
Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

With a teaching and coaching career that lasted nearly a half century at Assumption Secondary School, Father Ronald Cullen watched a whirlwind of change take place over that time.

For the many he counseled, from the future pro athletes to state Supreme Court judges to the plain old solid citizens he valued as much as any, the lessons learned from a blunt-talking Catholic priest have helped form the blueprint of their lives.

Monday at the Fogolar Furlan Club many of them will gather to say thank-you to 93-year-old Father Cullen with a night in his honour.

"I'm going to enjoy meeting a lot of people I haven't talked to in many years," said Father Cullen, who now resides in Toronto.

"Once you know it's for charity, you jump right in."

In addition to honouring Father Cullen, the dinner is aimed at raising funds to help the University of Windsor Lancers men's hockey team spend a week working on a Habitat for Humanity project in New Orleans.

The idea for the project and the evening in Father Cullen's honour came from Lancer coach and Assumption graduate Kevin Hamlin.

"This is an opportunity to share and hear the story of Father Cullen," Hamlin said. "At 93, sometimes we just don't know how many more opportunities we'll have to say thank-you.

"He played an important role in so many lives. I can't think of a more appropriate honour than to say thank-you and at the same time raise money to help the less fortunate.

"Father Cullen was about giving people life lessons and that's what we're trying to do with this trip to New Orleans."

Read about great Turk man the "Peace Father"

What a fantastic story. This is the way that peace and morality can be gained back, through the individual efforts of great men such as he. Makes me proud of my Turkish ancestry on my maternal grandmother's side ;-)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081028.wturkey28/BNStory/International/home?cid=al_gam_mostview


How Kurdish Mr. Fix-It resolves blood feuds
In Turkey, where disputes last decades and can lead to loss of life, the 'Peace Father' works his magic with words, tears

DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY — Murat and Farida didn't know about the feud between their families when they first met at the university in this stone-walled town, a place where residents cling to long memories and ancient traditions. They found out only when Murat went home to tell his family, the Kamcis, that he wanted to marry a girl he had met at school whose last name happened to be Tarhan.

The news appalled the Kamcis and they forbade the nuptials. For 36 years, ever since a young Tarhan boy innocently let his goats graze on a Kamci pasture, the families had been at war. A member of the Kamci family slapped the Tarhan boy that day in the field and the blood feud was on. Four people were killed as a result of that slap, and dozens of others had been driven from their homes to preserve the dignity of the two names.

Distraught by their families' reaction, Murat and Farida went to see the local imam for advice. He told them that if they wanted to get married there was only one way - they must seek out the man known as the Peace Father.

Sait Sanli, the Peace Father's real name, is the 64-year-old wise man of Turkey's Kurdish southeast. Diminutive of stature, exceedingly polite and admittedly prone to tears, the former butcher is the man local residents turn to for advice when their blood starts to boil. By his own count, Mr. Sanli has resolved 449 blood feuds in the eight years since he agreed to mediate his first dispute, and he says none of the pacts he negotiated have since been broken. But his favourite story is the tale of Murat and Farida, the real-life Romeo and Juliet.

"They were crying. They told me they loved each other, but they couldn't get married because their grandfathers had a problem 36 years ago," Mr. Sanli said. "I cried with them."

The next day, Mr. Sanli went to work, travelling to see the elders of both families, as well as the widows and orphans on each side. He took an accounting of how much wrong had been done by each side over the decades. How many had been killed by each family (three Kamcis had died versus one Tarhan) and how much farming income had been lost (the Kamcis had seized 15 hectares of Tarhan land). Then he proposed a solution: Hadn't the blood debt owed by the Tarhans to the Kamcis been repaid by 36 years of free rent and farming income?

It was a simple suggestion, but one the two clans had never considered before. Mr. Sanli offered that the Tarhans should be allowed to return to their homes and that Murat and Farida get married. The two sides accepted and held a festive dinner in the Peace Father's honour.

***
Read the rest of the article, and you cannot help but be so totally charmed, as I am, by his humility and dedication to this great personal calling. More people should imitate him, for sure.

Congratulations to Chinese people accomplishment

That was a splendid launch, flight, space walk and return. I am especially impressed with the construction of the space flight suit and its performance. So I extend my congratulations to all involved in the space program and also to the Chinese people.

Congratulations on advent of Ramadan

Thinking of all the faithful with friendship and prayers for a blessed time.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/details.php?id=586139

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Chairman of Supreme Judiciary Council congratulates Muslim nation on holy month of Ramadan

Taif, Saudi Arabia, , August 30, SPA--The Chairman of Supreme Judiciary Council Sheikh Saleh bin Mohammad Allehaidan has congratulated the Muslim nation on the holy month of Ramadan, praying to Almighty Allah for all success for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Saudi people and Muslims.

In a speech on the advent of the holy month of Ramadan on Monday, Sheikh Saleh praised Almighty Allah for making the starts and ends of worships connected with matters and cosmic signs obvious to everyone, pointing out that a lunar crescent can be seen by all people to determine the start of fasting and at the end of the month to break fasting. In conclusion, he prayed to Almighty Allah for glory for Islam and Muslims and for their protection from the evils of their enemies.

***
I echo the words and sentiments of Sheikh Saheh.

I also want to point out that he explains that the lunar crescent is used so that all people have a way to determine Allah's will for starting and ending worship. This is because all people, rich or poor, learned or illiterate, could look at the sky and share the same clock, provided by God.

This is one reason that the Catholic Church developed the art of stained glass windows in churches to tell the story of Jesus. Rich or poor, learned or illiterate, all could gaze on the windows and understand, knowing the story of Jesus, of Mary, of all the saints, and of God's works on earth. Churches used to be unlocked and open all the time so any, no matter how poor, could come in and learn and pray.

This is quite different from the idolatry of astrology and other occult and arcane arts, who seek to undermine the will of God by claiming manipulation of the "signs" by the few, wealthy and powerful. That is an abomination to God.

Read about this amazing couple, 80 yrs married

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_10081651

Nellie Grimes was 7 and Carl Herman, 6, in 1915 when they first laid eyes on each other in a one-room Kansas schoolhouse in the middle of the Dust Bowl.

They hit it off and began walking to school together from their nearby family farms. When the weather was bad, they'd jump on Nellie's dad's horse and let it take them to school.

Their friendship grew to love and on Aug. 18, 1928, Nellie and Carl tied the knot in the pastor's parsonage in Reserve, Kan.

Nellie, now 99, and Carl, 98, will be celebrating their 80th wedding anniversary in a few weeks surrounded by a family tree that has grown to more than 100 members since they got hitched.

"It's pretty incredible to think their marriage has lasted 80 years when a lot of marriages these days don't last 80 days," says Ben Herman, oldest of the couple's five children. He's 79.

It is pretty incredible - even more so when you know the humble, harsh beginning 80 years ago when a couple of kids, not yet even 20 years old, were starting a family during the Great Depression on farms smack in the middle of the infamous Dust Bowl.

If you want to put faces on the tough, pioneer spirit of this country, look at Nellie and Carl Herman.

"We stayed with both our families off and on after we were married, but it became harder and harder to raise crops in the middle of that dry Dust Bowl and support both families," Nellie says.

***
Awesome! God bless their whole family.