A Catholic Gives Rural America And Less Populated States A Voice

I have long admired the Constitutional System for electing the President of the United States and enthusiastically taught it for many years.  As Alexander Hamilton stated in Federalist Paper # 68, "if the manner of it be not perfect, it is at least excellent." I am of course writing about the Electoral college system found in Article II of the U.S. Constitution.

Imagine my surprise after teaching it for over fifteen years, when I discovered that the design of the Electoral college was created by Maryland statesman, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, who was the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence, and not the U.S. Constitution.  Carroll had introduced it when the 13 state governments were being set up after the Declaration was signed in 1776.  He used it as a means of electing senators in the Maryland Legislature, not the chief executive.  The electors were chosen by the citizens and the electors chose the senators, while the members of the Maryland House of Representatives were elected directly by the people. It was a necessary balance favorable to deliberation.  In 1787 James Madison and Alexander Hamilton examined the concept and found it suitable for the presidential election.  They "borrowed" from Charles Carroll. 

The fact that Carroll was Roman Catholic was significant because until the War for Independence, Catholics were viewed as suspicious and mostly not even allowed to vote.  In 1776 Protestant Christians were over 98% of America's population and Catholic Christians less than 2%.   So for Carroll to play a role in laying the foundation of this glorious republic was remarkable.  I find it very interesting and important since I'm Catholic myself and desire to know more about Catholics who've provided meaningful ideas to help frame our unique form of government. 

But back to the beautiful Electoral college system itself.  The electors are chosen by the people for a set purpose and a temporary one.  No senator, representative, or other person holding a place of trust or profit under the United States can be of the number of electors. The electors selected by their fellow citizens of each state pledge to vote for a particular presidential candidate of their political party, and each state is given the same number of electoral votes as they have United States senators and representatives combined, which in the case of Alabama would be nine total votes.  Not very many, huh, because our state is not heavily populated like say, California or New York.  But what is helpful to us and other less populous places is the "winner take all" part that gives all the electoral votes to the candidate that wins one more vote above the other contenders. The other states do likewise and so the heartland of America and the Bible Belt are protected by the Electoral College System to a degree.  If no presidential candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes, the election goes to the House of Representatives where each state receives one vote in voting from among the top three in the Electoral college.  

The Electoral college is a state check on federal power and protects the smaller and less populated states.  It's a fair system that allows all Americans to have a voice in the government.

50TH HIGH SCHOOL REUNION TRIBUTE TO HAMBURG, IOWA

50^th Hamburg High School Reunion

Salute to Hamburg, Iowa

September 12, 2015

Barbara Gude Moore

Many in our graduating class of 1965 have lived in different places at one time or another, whether during college days, military service, a change in marital status or professions.  But we’ve moved out from Hamburg, Iowa with a solid foundation upon which to build our lives.  The conception of our dreams began right here.  The formation of our characters began right here. 

From you, our families, churches, schools and townspeople of Hamburg, we learned right from wrong. Watching you, we learned to respect what is pure, good, decent and honorable.  We learned to value things that matter, and to desire those qualities that enable us to reach higher, accomplish greater feats, and to live more nobly.  Virtues and qualities such as honesty, self-reliance, perseverance, fairness, courage, hard work, sacrifice, commitment and patriotism were instilled in all of us.  I think that patriotism was in the very air we breathed here in Hamburg, Iowa!   Some years ago when I was thinking back on these things I began to write about it and what developed was published in the USA Today newspaper on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 1998.  I had the satisfaction of knowing that all over the world people were reading about our veterans and the very heartland and conscience of America. I’d like to share it with you because it’s about all of you and the foundation that you built here.

Having grown up in the farmlands of the Midwest, I remember seeing these men often, and to me they represented America.  They were called veterans.

I watched them solemnly marching in the parades.  They looked straight ahead, and I knew they were seeing something or someone the rest of us could not see.

Was it the buddy who didn’t make it back to march alongside them?  Was it the world that might have been, had they not answered their country’s call?

Whatever, it was bigger and more real to them than anything I could know.

These were hard-working, plain-talking, solid men of decent conduct and few words.  When extending the firm handshake of friendship, they’d look you straight in the eye.  Their word was their bond.  They didn’t whine, and they didn’t complain; they did what they had to do without excuses. They did their duty to God and country.      

These men protected their wives and provided for their families. They loved the good ol’ USA.  They never started a fight, but they never ran away from one.  And they’d be there to finish it.

A bully was a bully, whether it was an individual or a nation.  Our veterans stood up to them.  They stood between the bullies of the world and us.  They fought with pride and valor.  They endured the living nightmare of war:  Some never woke up.

I thank God for these men some call veterans.

I call them heroes.

Now, who in the world wouldn’t want to return to a place where such good folks like you all are grown?  It’s such a treat for the class of ’65 and other classes as well, to be back here and to see all of you and “the old stomping grounds.”

One of the pleasures of coming back home again is to see the sites we hold so dear, like our beautiful public library, which, along with our schools, played such an important role in our lives.  From the books there, our imaginations were stirred, our minds were sharpened, our hopes were kindled, and we were prepared to go forth to meet the challenges that lay ahead of us. 

But Hamburg and its’ people are always in our hearts, no matter what we’re doing or how far away we are.  When Hamburg was in the newspaper headlines and on the national broadcasts because of the terrible flood, those of us who live far away watched the horrifying destruction, and we hurt, wept, and prayed.  What happens in our hometown matters to us.  Our roots are here and our roots run deep in the dark, rich Iowa soil that produces the tallest and best corn on the planet-and the plants from the Hamburg Nursery that were sent all over the world.  And that same good soil lies beneath the homes here - in the fragrant cellars where produce is stored and where refuge and safety can be found from the storms.

So, too, this community provided safety for us in our childhoods.  Most of us remember not having to lock our doors at night or any other time, and many of us didn’t even have locks on our doors!  Our community was safe and that gave us a reassuring security to grow up without fear.  Warnings from parents about not talking to strangers were non-existent because there were no strangers in Hamburg!

What an incredibly rich heritage that Hamburg, Iowa has given to all of us.  The class of ’65 heard the call beckoning us home to this place and to this gathering.  It’s a precious opportunity for our eyes to behold the faces of those we’ve loved and hear the voices from our childhoods.   We’re exchanging memories, renewing old friendships and truly enjoying this blast from the past!

 Lastly, the class of ’65 wants to thank you for all you have given to us.  May God bless you! Thank you.

A More Solemn 4th of July

It's been a rather solemn 4th of July thus far.  I read the Declaration of Independence again this morning and was struck by the words, "The History of the present King of Great Britain is a History of repeated Injuries and Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States."  Naturally I thought about the present regime and realized how applicable it is to our country today.  

Many American people are truly beginning to suffer under the tyranny of anti-American policies with the innumerable heavy regulations and the heavy-handed enforcement of them. Government is controlling the people instead of the people controlling the government. Government has become the master instead of the servant, and it is a harsh, cruel, task-master.  And what exacerbates this further is that there seems to be no time or energy left at the end of the day for many hard working folks looking after their families, to examine the causes for the great American Dream becoming the grave American Nightmare.  They are barely staying afloat and really tired, too.  

But even now, it's not hopeless.  There are answers to be found in our Creator who has "endowed us with certain, unalienable rights," and the documents of the Founding Fathers who learned from God and His Word. There is hope and help in God.

Let's praise God for the freedoms we still have and now for the Fireworks!  

"There's Just Somethin' About That Flag..." Flag Day 2015

"There's just somethin' about that flag that makes me feel good all over!" declared the freedom-loving patriot, Davy Crockett.  The reason that sticks in my mind is because his words warm my heart just about every time I see our "Grand Old Flag" gloriously waving in the beautiful blue sky. I love our red, white and blue flag, designed by the Father of our country, George Washington, and sewn by seamstress Betsy Ross in 1777.  What an awe-inspiring story our flag could tell then and ever since then!  

To know the story of America is to love the story of America.  Pick any decade or year in our history and you'll thrill to the stories of our people, facing the challenges before them with faith, courage, and lots of imagination and innovation.  We became the "can do" people, learning from our parents and grandparents to create from what God has placed around us and within us.  The noble character of the American people is revealed in those stories and represented in that flag. 

Woven into the fabric of our banner is the good-heartedness and decency of the American people. The generous citizens of this country have responded to every disaster of every kind in every place with compassionate, helpful action for those in need.  It's very much a part of our identity as a nation and a standard set by those who've gone before us.  Every generation has embraced it and built upon it.  That's what we were taught in our homes, churches and schools.  The books we read and the movies we watched helped to forge within us those desirable qualities we admire in individuals and citizens.  I still see that when I look upon "Old Glory."  It's part of what makes me "feel good all over", although there's more, so much more.  But that would take many books, not just a blog, so...

Happy Flag Day, 2015!  I hope that Davy Crockett's folksy words resonate with you and with generations of Americans to come!



      

Memorial Day - A Time of Remembering, Lest We Forget...Lest We Forget

On Memorial Day many of us will look upon the gravestones of our brave countrymen who fought and died for America.  They loved this land of freedom and opportunity, and we owe them a debt of gratitude which we can never repay.  We must learn about the meaning of those stones, lest the memory of those who lie beneath them be forgotten, and their deaths be in vain. 

They were Americans and they came from all over our nation:  the north, the south, the east and the west, to answer their country's call.  They were the rich and the poor of every color; they were from the farmlands and the cities; they were the scholars and the factory workers from all sorts of different ethnic backgrounds; but they were all Americans. And they were prepared to defend our freedom.  They stood for America, where a man could be a man - where he could hold his head up and walk shoulder to shoulder with every other man, without having to grovel and cower before tyrants.  America!  The place where the circumstances of one's birth do not dictate the course for one's life, and where a man could choose his own destiny.  With his God-given ability and his own hard work, he could make his dreams come true.  America has always been the place where dreams can come true!  We even call it the "American Dream!"

You and I can still dream the dream only because of the sacrifices of those beneath those somber gravestones.  Do we remember that freedom is not free - that there is a very high cost for our freedom?  Can we show our gratitude by living for the ideals for which our patriots fought and died?  We can honor their memory by lifting high the torch of freedom, the sacred fire of liberty, and passing it on to future generations, lest we forget...lest we forget.
   

Revealing the Treasure of America

While helping my youngest grandson, Sam, with his history project this week, I was once again awe-struck with the richness of our Christian heritage that has largely been stolen from us by many people and groups in many different ways. We have deep Christian roots in this country, and just because many of our leaders and people have departed from our roots, does not mean that we don't have them.  I'll echo the words of John Adams when he exclaimed, " I always consider the settlement of America with reverence and wonder, as the opening of a grand scene and design in Providence..."  Yes, America's heritage is rich, deep and it is ours.  It belongs to us and our children's children.

Sam wisely selected the Washington Monument for his study and construction. He's required to build a model of it and present facts about it.  The great man George Washington and his legacy can be revealed in those facts.

The magnificent design for the Washington Monument was selected through a national competition, like many other important national buildings and memorials.  This is an honored American tradition going all the way back to our beginning.

Five hundred feet, five and one eighth inches tall, it commands the attention of the skyline of our nation's capital.  No structure is permitted to be taller than the monument that the first rays of sunshine greet every morning and the last lights of sunsets close each day.  The Latin words pointing toward Almighty God in heaven declare for our nation, "Laus Deo," which means "Praise Be To God!" Nothing is allowed to be higher than this! It is our highest acclamation, expressing the hearts and minds of the American people, acknowledging and honoring the authority of God over the United States of America.  It also reflects the character of George Washington, whose life was grounded in the love of God and whose words declare that it is "the duty of our country to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and to humbly implore His protection and favor..."

The cornerstone for "The Monument" as it has always been known- (as if there is no other, giving it the renown it deserves,) was laid on July 4th, 1848, almost fifty years after the death of Washington, the Father of our country, who was "First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen."  The cornerstone is the basic and main part, the foundation of the building.  Within the cornerstone of "The Monument" the Holy Bible was placed, signifying that it is the foundation for our country.

There are 189 tribute stones given by states, cities, societies, churches and Sunday School classes, other countries, individuals and even school children. Most are engraved with quotations from the Bible, such as, "Search the Scriptures," John 5:39, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God," Luke 18:16, and "In God We Trust".  George Washington and the people of America knew that God is the Author of freedom and the source of the blessings of liberty.

Back in World War I a school essay competition about the Washington Monument was held for boys in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. William Brown Meloney V wrote, "The Washington Monument is built of stone contributed by all the nations of the earth to honor the founder of this republic.  From Arlington across the river where sleep the men who died for freedom, it looks like a giant spike, which God might have driven into this earth, saying, "Here I stake a claim for the home of Liberty!"  Twelve year old William later stated, "I tried to tell why it was there and what it means."  We would do well to remember his inspiring words, and continue requiring patriotic history projects for America's youth.

We Are America!

We are America!  We are decent, hard-working people who love our country and what it has represented for many generations.  When we look at our flag, we stand a little taller and a feeling of pride is quickened in our hearts.  We truly do believe that this is the land of the free and the home of the brave.  We are grateful for those who have selflessly served our country and currently serve in uniform.  It's important to us that the promises made to our veterans must be kept, and that while they're serving us we are serving them, keeping the flame of freedom burning brightly here at home.

We, the people of the United States of America, are America.  It is not the huge and corrupt government that has morphed into some gigantic monster unrecognizable by us that is America!  No!  And it no longer even represents and reflects the good, industrious and innovative citizens of our land.  What we, the people, established and ordained "to secure the blessings of freedom," has been trashed by those who have taken control.

But we are America.  We live and breathe; we remember who we are and what we are about!  We are many and we are strong.  We are going to take back what has been stolen from us and our posterity because we are America.  We are honorable and will restore honor to the name of America once again.  We "pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our honor," because we are America.