Our National History: Food for Thought
History is inseparable from who we are — it is the glue that binds us and the foundation upon which we build. And while this Web site is not intended to be a history of America, homage will be paid to those who have inspired us and, in so doing, have helped shape a democracy unrivaled by any other. To this end, I will feature in this space excerpts from speeches delivered by our nation’s greatest leaders, including Reagan, Kennedy, Roosevelt (Teddy and FDR), Lincoln, Truman, King, and many more. We begin with Ronald Reagan.
President Ronald Reagan
Farewell Address
January 11, 1989
... We’ve got to teach history based not on what’s in fashion but what’s important — why the Pilgrims came here, who Jimmy Doolittle was, and what those 30 seconds over Tokyo meant … If we forget what we did, we won’t know who we are. I’m warning of an eradication of the American memory that could result, ultimately, in an erosion of the American spirit. Let’s start with some basics: more attention to American history and a greater emphasis on civic ritual.
And let me offer lesson number one about America: All great change in America begins at the dinner table. So, tomorrow night in the kitchen, I hope the talking begins. And children, if your parents haven’t been teaching you what it means to be an American, let ‘em know and nail ‘em on it. That would be a very American thing to do.
And that’s about all I have to say tonight, except for one thing. The past few days when I’ve been at that window upstairs, I’ve thought a bit of the “shining city upon a hill.” The phrase comes from John Winthrop, who wrote it to describe the America he imagined. What he imagined was important because he was an early Pilgrim, an early freedom man. He journeyed here on what today we’d call a little wooden boat; and like the other Pilgrims, he was looking for a home that would be free. I’ve spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don’t know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, windswept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That’s how I saw it, and see it still.
And how stands the city on this winter night? More prosperous, more secure, and happier ... But more than that: After 200 years, two centuries, she still stands strong and true on the granite ridge, and her glow has held steady no matter what storm. And she’s still a beacon, still a magnet for all who must have freedom, for all the pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, toward home.
And as I walk off into the city streets, a final word to the men and women of the Reagan revolution, the men and women across America who for 8 years did the work that brought America back. My friends: We did it. We weren’t just marking time. We made a difference. We made the city stronger, we made the city freer, and we left her in good hands.
All in all, not bad, not bad at all.
And so, goodbye, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.
Marley — Nearly One Year Later!
My wife and I became first-time grandparents on October 16, 2007. Marley Karyn Schumann is her name, and she is beautiful. Marley weighed 8.25 pounds and was 21 inches long at birth. Nearly one year later she is getting ready to walk — right now she is doing one of those weird crawls where she sticks her butt high in the air ... really quite funny. Mom and Dad are adjusting well to parenthood, and Caryn and I are looking forward to spoiling her — one of the privileges of being grandparents. For pictures of Marley and her family, click here.
A Closing Thought
Like most of you, my time is filled to overflowing with many, widely-varying roles: husband, father, grandfather, active church member, community activist, student, and middle-school teacher. And, like most of you, I have a thought or two about life and living: In addition to being an instructional tool for my own classroom, these pages will allow me to share with you my thoughts and observations about issues faced by all of us. Hopefully, you will find them interesting, or perhaps even entertaining.
If you don't like what you read ... well, the Web is a very large universe. There is only one requirement: Enjoy the journey!