1. I promise to use my right to vote and will encourage others to do so at every opportunity. This nation belongs to its people and come hell or high water it's got to stay that way.
2. I promise to be more fiscally responsible and give greater consideration to the way my actions directly or indirectly impact others.
3. I promise to use my voice to educate and encourage others who have checked out or given up on the world around them.
4. I promise that 20 years from now I will still be bad mouthing the administration of George W. Bush. Oops, that just slipped out. This being positive stuff is hard work.
5. I promise to do my personal best to educate your children in a way that is free from my personal political opinions but still encourages them to think for themselves and be interested in the world around them.
6. I promise to stand and put my hand over my heart and truly think about what liberty is when I am in the presence of your flag America. I do however reserve the right to not say the words "under God" when reciting the pledge because while there very well may be a God, that is not for my government to decide.
7. I promise to continue to educate myself so that I can be an informed and responsible citizen of this country and of the world.
8. I promise to smile at each and every one of you when I say "Welcome to Walmart" 20 years from now when I am working there because my 401K was completely depleted when I was in my 30's.
9. I promise that even though things are going to get worse before they get better, I will not give up on you, lose hope, panic, and flee to another nation (unless John McCain becomes president and then dies in office).
10. I promise to crack jokes, be cynical, make fun of political figures, and get worked up over things happening in this country because in my own way, that is how I show that I care about you America.
So there you have it. I would encourage each of you to make some promises of your own. We may be knocked down but as far as I'm concerned, the fighter still remains.
8 comments:
John Adams:
“ The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principals of Christianity… I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”
July 4th] ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”
–John Adams in a letter written to Abigail on the day the Declaration was approved by Congress
I guess that explains why I'm more of Thomas Jefferson kind of girl :)
"Religion is a subject on which I have ever been most scrupulously reserved. I have considered it as a matter between every man and his Maker in which no other, and far less the public, had a right to intermeddle." --Thomas Jefferson to Richard Rush, 1813.
I second that! I went to lunch with some of my lady coworkers and one of them started talking about politics. Generally I believe that politics isn't an appropriate topic for conersation at work. But since they opened their mouths and asked me if I were a democrat, I of course had to say that I am. I took a deep breath, unsure of where the discussion was leading. I found it sad really that thy would be scared if oboma became president because I would be afraid if bush, sorry McCain were to become president. we however do believe in a lot of the same things. I knewthere was no convincing them to change their minds but they did admit they would votefor Hillary of they could. But a verybig but they luv palin which I really couldn't understand. I think it shocked them that a very educated young Texan is voting for Obama. He's not my first choice but he's the only joice to beat McCain.
Ya I love how I said I was educated but had so many grammar error :-p I'm writing on my iPhone and I'm not use to it yet.
Thomas Jefferson...fascinating man, brilliant, and as human as they come...a champion of freedom to worship each his own God.
Jefferson championed Freedom OF religion, NOt freedom FROM religion.
At no point in his lifetime did Jefferson suggest that it was wrong to acknowledge the existance & protection of a diety
He in fact recognized that there IS a God who oversees the affairs of man, and he believed it so important that he included it as the closing sentence of the Declaration Of Independence.
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
The idea that the words "under God",or reference to God by a leader, or the suggestion that divinity is or has been involved in the rise of this country somehow create a religious overseeing of government is wholly wrong. To suggest that Our Founders and our country were not guided by strong moral and faith based ideals and behaviors is to completely rewrite history.
1 comment!?!...come on people, I'm trying to get conversation started here...
Hey, even I make mistakes as the blogger :)
A for effort mom. Keep trying, someone besides us is bound to have something to say at some point.
I'm slow , but I'm here.
I do feel to accurately discuss our nation's history, religion must be included. Many religious groups (such as the Quakers and Puritans) formed the first 13 colonies on the basis of their religious beliefs. Churches were the first meetinghouses where people learned to come together as a community and vote on various topics. Religion has shaped our history. However, I'm still not going to say "under God" when I recite the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. I don't believe in being forced to be a Christian to be able to teach in public school.
I do believe Jeanette is right and I promise to do my personal best to educate your children in a way that is free from my personal political opinions but still encourages them to think for themselves and be interested in the world around them.
We have to encourage young people to have respect AND stand up for their believes. (One of my personal compromises is I will have respect and say your pledge everyday, but I don't have to say under god.)
I don't have quotes from Thomas Jefferson or John Adams in my response and I may be way off topic, but this is what Jeanette's blog and the comments following made me think about.
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