I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
— Winston Churchill
Archives For America
I never gave anybody hell! I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.
-President Harry S Truman, 33rd president of the U.S. (1945-53)
I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon — if I can.
I seek opportunity — not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.
I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed. I refuse to barter incentive for a dole.
I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia.
I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.
It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations, and to face the world boldly and say, this I have done.
All this is what it means to be an American.
Dean Alfange (1897-1989) wrote this statement in the 1950′s. It has also been referred to as “My Creed.” It originally appeared in This Week Magazine. A condensed version was published in Reader’s Digest.
Voting is a great privilege. When we look at the sweep of history, we can clearly see what a privilege it is. Enjoy these strong quotes on voting from great Americans. This post is part of a mini-series - Does Jesus Care How You Vote? Your perspective and comments can contribute to this wildly provocative question: Does Jesus have ideas about our politics?
Noah Webster
In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate – look to his character … When a citizen gives his suffrage to a man of known immorality he abuses his trust; he sacrifices not only his own interest, but that of his neighbor, he betrays the interest of his country.
John Jay
The Americans are the first people whom Heaven has favored with an opportunity of deliberating upon and choosing the forms of government under which they should live.
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters.
Aren’t you proud that many celebrities and the “elites” of our society, you know, the glitterati, appreciate and love America?
Hang on, there may be a misprint here.
Many Hollywood and liberal elites find Americans revolting … Michael Moore, Al Gore, Sean Penn, Chris Matthews, et al.
They may not say it overtly (because of their career?), but it’s how they really feel. And sometimes they do say it.
Bill Maher: “Americans are the stupidest people in the world.”
We’re discovering more and more about these “elites” in the past several years. They’re coming out.
Apollo 11: Armstrong, Collins, Aldrin
The first person to step on the moon, Neil Armstrong, died August 25, 2012 at the age of 82.
He was the real deal. His family released this statement: “[He was a] reluctant American hero [and had] served his nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut… While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves.”
Neil Armstrong, the first to step on the moon: “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”
I love the whole Apollo program, the iconic Saturn V, and the moonshot era. Armstrong’s death reminded me about an inspirational part of the Apollo 11 story that is not widely known …
