Readers old enough to remember know that initially, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln enjoyed separate holidays on their birthdays; February 12 for Lincoln, February 22 for Washington. Much like Christmas Day, the holidays were observed on those dates regardless of which day of the week they fell upon. During the Nixon administration, the holidays were combined into one, and thus lost much of their meaning. Many people today are unaware that the holiday is set aside to honor two of our greatest presidents.
So in honor of the father of our country, whose birthday is tomorrow, let's take a look back through history, to President George Washington's first Inaugural Address, delivered April 30, 1789, in New York. Take a few minutes to read it, and then ask yourself how such passages as the following would sit with the ACLU today:
"...it would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official act my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe, who presides in the councils of nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that His benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the people of the United States a Government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes, and may enable every instrument employed in its administration to execute with success the functions allotted to his charge. In tendering this homage to the Great Author of every public and private good..."
Almighty Being? Great Author? Just imagine the left's reaction to such terms today. Obviously, they would conclude, some wild-eyed rightwing conservative evangelical fanatic is delivering this speech!
But read on. Washington was just warming up.
"No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States."
What? "Adore the Invisible Hand"? This is a blatant violation of separation of church and state! Or is it? Actually, the term "separation of church and state" appears nowhere in the official founding documents of the United States. The Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." George Washington's thanks to God was in fact an expression of his personal religious views, "the free exercise thereof" is guaranteed by that very same document. But facts have never gotten in the way of an indignant liberal tantrum.
Perhaps even more outrageous to our modern lefties would be Washington's next flagrantly fervent statement:
"...since we ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained..."
What's up with that remark? Is Washington trying to say that Americans are actually answerable to a Higher Authority for their actions? Is he implying that we can't make up our own rules without risking the loss of God's favor? What a crazed religious nutcase! How did he ever get elected?
President Washington apparently felt confident enough in the words of the Declaration of Independence that he concluded his first inaugural address with yet another prayer to our Creator:
"Having thus imparted to you my sentiments...I shall take my present leave; but not without resorting once more to the benign Parent of the Human Race in humble supplication that, since He has been pleased to favor the American people with opportunities for deliberating in perfect tranquillity...on a form of government for the security of their union and the advancement of their happiness, so His divine blessing may be equally conspicuous in the...wise measures on which the success of this Government must depend."
After reading the full text of George Washington's first inaugural address, all I can say is "Amen."
