On the banks of the mighty Potomac lies the mansion and
grounds of Mount Vernon. Across the river lies a preserved Fort Scattaway—preserved
simply because George Washington liked looking at it. The history of George
Washington reveals the greatness of our first American President. A couple good
quotes of General Washington, “The love of my country will be the ruling
influence of my conduct… (One should observe) the rules of civility and decent
behavior in company and conversation… I walk on untrodden ground. All my
conduct will be precedent.” And from Martha, “The greater part of our happiness
deals with our disposition, not circumstance.” Washington distributed Thomas
Paine’s Common Sense to his soldiers.
At Mount Vernon they hosted over 600 distinguished visitors after his
Presidency. He had less educational opportunities then his siblings because of
family financial crisis when that time came for him (didn’t get to go to
Oxford). Slaves were buried all over his estate in unmarked graves. Next to his
tomb lies a memorial to those slaves. He saw destiny taking him through his
trials and only complained for his wife’s suffering, not his own. He used
ambition, connections, and strength of character to have a remarkable life.
The Air and
Space Musuem in DC was overwhelming. Here are some quick notes: Charles
Lindberg didn’t have a front window on the Spirit of Saint Louis…so that gas
wouldn’t burn him if he crashed. Vin Fiz revolutionized advertising by being
painted on bottom. The Wright Brothers made bikes and kites as a living before
randomly aspiring to air flight. If the Hubble Telescope was in Japan and the
earth was made flat then it could see “In God We Trust” on a penny in the USA. I
touched a moon rock and will not be a moon conspiracy guy.
The
American National History Museum has a replica of the Nauvoo Temple’s sunshine
ornament. The Mormon migration and story is an extremely underrated American
story. Said Jefferson of slavery, “We have the wolf by the ear, and we can
neither hold him, nor safely let him go. Justice is in one scale, and
self-preservation in the other.”
E Pluribus Unom,
Out of Many…One. The Capitol was a great opportunity to see the combination of
history, the present, and the future. When Capitol was originally built they
made a crypt which sat in the center of DC and split it into four quadrants.
They hoped to move George Washington’s body into it (because of his refusal to
be a dictator). Its empty--maybe put Obama in there—now. The rotunda was
painted to symbolically represent God overlooking modern technology. No
I-Phones are up there, it was painted in like the 1880’s or something.
Arlington
Cemetery has 27 funerals a week, 400,000 graves of men, whom not all died in combat,
but who wanted to rest overlooking our nation’s capital. John F. Kennedy and
his wife were buried there, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what
you can do for your country.” It is on the site of Robert E Lee’s family’s
plantation. The discipline of the soldiers guarding the tomb of the Unknown
Soldier is a gift to the honor of the unknown.
Washington
DC monuments: The US Army commemorated Washington’s refusal to be a king in
1884 by building the Washington monument. The WWII Memorial honors those men
who whether by choice or coercion courageously fought in the name of their
country, “Even against the greatest odds there is something in the human
spirit, a magic blend of skill, faith, and valor that can lift men from certain
defeat to incredible victory.” The Lincoln Memorial is a temple of reflection
and commitment. Lincoln’s second inaugural
address was themed on respect to the South and proclamation of a higher law, “Don’t
judge, just do right, and let God do right.” The memorial’s murals are of unity
and emancipation. From the Gettysburg Address, I feel this appropriate to many
settings, “The brave men (and women) living and dead who struggled here have
consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.” There is a lot of
tribute to Martin Luther King, said he, “Dark must be driven out by light. Hate
cannot drive out hate, it has to be love.” A little seen monument commemorates
George Mason who didn’t attend the constitutional conventions because there
were no provisions for the halting of importation of slaves.
Thomas
Jefferson was a scientist who particularly was interested in the practical
benefits of new discovery and application. He never feared new inventions or
improvements but loved following truth and reason. He emphasized a free government
needs an educated people, from the common to the wealthy (in defense of pell
grants?). “Knowledge is power… knowledge is happiness.” Referred to himself as
a barbarous ancestor and said that he didn’t want rapid change of the constitution
but that as new truths were discovered (and new opinions formed as a result),
then the laws should change. Freedom to practice or not practice religion, “All
men are free to profess and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters
of religion.” “There shall be no tyranny over the mind of man.”
We just
missed the tour of Ford’s Theatre but we did learn some good stuff at the home
across the street where Lincoln actually died. Booth thought he would be
cheered for killing Lincoln because he was defending the Constitution. HE
figured he be like Brutus to Caesar. There are no living descendants of
Lincoln. Six people were hung as result of one death, several attempts, and
other conspiracies… maybe even Lincoln would agree that was too much. Lincoln
said, “As I would not be a slave, I would not be a master.” Hollow mockery was
made at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in 1922 when it was said “All
may worship at this shrine”… the crowd was segregated by color.
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