Jack Miller Center: Teaching Founding Principles

I stumbled across the website for the Jack Miller Center on Thanksgiving day.  I am impressed with the Center’s statement of objectives:

The Jack Miller Center for Teaching America’s Founding Principles and History, a nonprofit, nonsectarian, nonpartisan, educational organization, works with educators in response to requests for resources to strengthen the teaching of America’s founding principles and history. …

The goal of the Miller Center is to ensure that students receive the best possible education and are prepared to be good stewards of our nation’s freedoms and the free institutions that protect all Americans’ liberties.

I am convinced that to the extent our children really understand the founding principles of our great country, they will be valiant champions of liberty.

John Taylor: The Genius of our Constitution

“A great destiny lies before the United States. The question is, is she competent for the task? She has out ridden the fiery test of revolution, hurled defiance at a despot’s power, and grasped the sceptre of liberty with a nervous, powerful grip. She has, out of the chaotic, confused mass of material associated with corrupt governments, organized a system of government and framed a constitution that while it is honorable to its founders, guarantees to all to the fullest extent, "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite." … Liberty here is more than a name. Here man is free to speak, free to think, free to write, free to act, free to do good. The very genius of our Constitution and institutions is freedom.”

John Taylor, Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Mormon, Oct 6, 1855, 1:33; quoted in The Gospel Kingdom, p.312.

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Congressional Thanksgiving Proclamation 1782

STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE. IN COMMITTEE of SAFETY, EXETER, November 1, 1782.

ORDERED,
THAT
the following Proclamation for a general THANKSGIVING on the twenty-eighth day of November [instant?], received from the honorable Continental Congress, be forthwith printed, and sent to the several worshipping Assemblies in this State, to whom it is recommended religiously to observe said day, and to abstain from all servile labour thereon.
M. WEARE, President.

By the United States in Congress assembled.

PROCLAMATION.

 IT being the indispensable duty of all Nations, not only to offer up their supplications to ALMIGHTY GOD, the giver of all good, for his gracious assistance in a time of distress, but also in a solemn and public manner to give him praise for his goodness in general, and especially for great and signal interpositions of his providence in their behalf: Therefore the United States in Congress assembled, taking into their consideration the many instances of divine goodness to these States, in the course of the important conflict in which they have been so long engaged; the present happy and promising state of public affairs; and the events of the war, in the course of the year now drawing to a close; particularly the harmony of the public Councils, which is so necessary to the success of the public cause; the perfect union and good understanding which has hitherto subsisted between them and their Allies, notwithstanding the artful and unwearied attempts of the common enemy to divide them; the success of the arms of the United States, and those of their Allies, and the acknowledgment of their independence by another European power, whose friendship and commerce must be of great and lasting advantage to these States:—– Do hereby recommend to the inhabitants of these States in general, to observe, and request the several States to interpose their authority in appointing and commanding the observation of THURSDAY the twenty-eight day of NOVEMBER next, as a day of solemn THANKSGIVING to GOD for all his mercies: and they do further recommend to all ranks, to testify to their gratitude to GOD for his goodness, by a cheerful obedience of his laws, and by promoting, each in his station, and by his influence, the practice of true and undefiled religion, which is the great foundation of public prosperity and national happiness.

Done in Congress, at Philadelphia, the eleventh day of October, in the year of our LORD one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two, and of our Sovereignty and Independence, the seventh.
JOHN HANSON, President.
Charles Thomson, Secretary.

PRINTED AT EXETER.

Proclamation and image courtesy of The Library of Congress.

Thanks to History.com for publishing this proclamation.

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Milton Friedman – Morality & Capitalism

This short video includes a thought-provoking discussion between Milton Friedman and a student who challenges Mr. Friedman about the morality of capitalism.

It is an enlightening treatment of the inevitable consequences of choice, whether or not government attempts to intervene in a free market economy.

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Happy Veteran’s Day!

It’s after 11pm in my San Francisco hotel room, where I arrived after a successful meeting in New York City, a transcontinental flight and late dinner.  But I can’t go to sleep without sharing a wonderful video pointed out to me by Twitter acquaintance Mame Hampton (@momthebom).

Thanks to all the wonderful soldiers and veterans who have done so much and are continuing to serve so well to keep us free!

 

And thank you, Mame, for sharing this wonderful message with us.

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