Michael McKenna, a columnist for The Washington Times, where my On Crime column appears, wrote a good column celebrating the birthday of George Washington.
On Monday, we celebrate George Washington’s birthday, as we have
for almost 200 years.
Contrary to
popular belief and the efforts of salesmen throughout the land, no Congress nor
president has ever changed this celebration to the abomination that is
“Presidents Day.” That’s good, because the assortment of mostly mediocre
American presidents deserves no celebration.
George Washington, born in Virginia on Feb. 22, 1732, is quite
another matter.
He dropped
out of school at the age of 15 to tend to the family farm, do a bit of
surveying, and dabble in real estate. He wrote no books. He wasn’t a
particularly gifted orator. He wasn’t the richest man of his time or place.
He was,
however, a natural and fearless military officer, having been entrusted with
commands by the British army during the French and Indian War when he was just
22 years old. He defeated that same British army, widely considered the best in
the world, 25 years later in the Revolutionary War.
More
importantly, he was a natural leader. He guided the proceedings of the
Constitutional Convention and enhanced its deliberations by his calming
presence. Those deliberations were, of course, made easier by the certain
knowledge among the delegates that Washington would be the first president of
the new republic.
He
voluntarily stepped down as president after two terms, setting a precedent that
no one even thought to challenge until the republic ran across the
unfortunately authoritarian and grasping Roosevelts.
He has set the standard for presidents, generals and American
leaders in all fields. To date, no one has entirely matched it.
… In 1965,
the historian and writer James Flexner called him the “indispensable man.” The
British military called him “the Fox” because of his consistent ability to
elude their superior forces during the Revolutionary War.
We simply
call him the “father of our country” because that is what he was. He made life
better for every American who has ever lived, and because America has been a
force for good in the world, he, in turn, made life better for just about
everyone on the planet.
… So, if you get a moment this Washington’s Birthday, make sure to think about the first, and greatest, president with whom the United States was blessed, and be grateful.
You can read the rest of the column via the below link:
Be grateful for George Washington: America's 'indispensable man' - Washington Times
