Some cool Citizenship and Freedom images:

Day 20

Image by R i c h a r d
My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and co-operation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land – a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and travelled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and ploughed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions – that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act – not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions – who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works – whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control – that a nation cannot prosper long when it favours only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defence, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the spectre of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defence, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honour them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment – a moment that will define a generation – it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed – why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have travelled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

Barack Obama’s 2009 Inaugural Speech

Image by orangejack
My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor — who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world … that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive… that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

January 20th, 2009

Image by elycefeliz
Gratitude (55) I am grateful for the people of this country, including our new president and his team.

34/100 Possibilities~ 100 Possibilities Project set

The true test of the American ideal is whether we’re able to recognize our failings and then rise together to meet the challenges of our time. Whether we allow ourselves to be shaped by events and history, or whether we act to shape them. Whether chance of birth or circumstance decides life’s big winners and losers, or whether we build a community where, at the very least, everyone has a chance to work hard, get ahead, and reach their dreams.
~ Barack Obama, speech, June 4, 2005

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.
~ Barack Obama, speech, February 5, 2008

Inaugural speech: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28751183/

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Smile with face, smile with mind, and good energy will come to you

A few nice Citizenship and Freedom images I found:

Thomas Paine Plaque (1923), 59 Grove Street, Greenwich Village, New York, New York

Image by lumierefl
Plaque installed by Greenwich Village Historical Society reads:

The world is my country
All mankind are my brethren
To do good is my religion
I believe in one God and no more

Thomas Paine (1737-1809) English political writer considered by some historians to be Father of the American Revolution because of Common Sense, pro-independence pamphlet published anonymously 10 Jan, 1776 • first 3 months 120K copies sold in American British Colonies (out of 2MM free inhabitants) • also wrote The Crisis pamphlet series (1776-1783), Rights of Man (1791) and The Age of Reason (1793-94), which argued against institutionalized religion and Christian doctrines

condemned as an atheist and denied American citizenship, Paine, 72, died obscure and penniless in a rooming house on this site, 8 June, 1809 • after request for burial in Quaker graveyard denied, buried under a walnut tree on his farm, New Rochelle, NY • 6 persons attended funeral • journalist Wm. Cobbett later transported Paine’s remains to England but was denied permission to bury them, remains subsequently lost • NY Citizen obituary stated Paine “lived long, did some good and much harm” • orator and writer Robert Ingersoll (1833 – 1899) wrote,

Thomas Paine had passed the legendary limit of life. One by one most of his old friends and acquaintances had deserted him. Maligned on every side, execrated, shunned and abhorred – his virtues denounced as vices – his services forgotten – his character blackened, he preserved the poise and balance of his soul. He was a victim of the people, but his convictions remained unshaken. He was still a soldier in the army of freedom, and still tried to enlighten and civilize those who were impatiently waiting for his death. Even those who loved their enemies hated him, their friend – the friend of the whole world – with all their hearts. On the 8th of June, 1809, death came – Death, almost his only friend. At his funeral no pomp, no pageantry, no civic procession, no military display. In a carriage, a woman and her son who had lived on the bounty of the dead – on horseback, a Quaker, the humanity of whose heart dominated the creed of his head – and, following on foot, two negroes filled with gratitude – constituted the funeral cortege of Thomas Paine.

recent biographies argue Paine was one of most important persons in modern history • the small wood framed house house in which he died replaced by building which now houses gay piano bar Marie’s Crisis, name inspired by Paine’s The Crisis • popular claim that parts of original house incorporated in current structure but Paine house actually stood where Grove St. now passes, was likely demolished in 1836 when street was widened • next door is Arthur’s Tavern (1937), jazz nightclub known as "Home of the Bird" because Charlie Parker frequently performed there

Boy Scout Monument

Image by dbking
Boy Scout Memorial

Boy Scout Memorial
Location: 15th Street, NW between E Street and Constitution Avenue
Erected: 1964
Sculptor: Donald DeLue
Architect: Willam Henry Deacy

The memorial to the Boy Scouts of America is the only memorial in Washington to commemorate a living cause. It was constructed at no expense to the government. The funds were raised from each Scout unit and each donor signed a scroll that was later placed in the pedestal of the statue.

During the 50th Anniversary Year of Scouting (1959), a proposal was made to establish the memorial on the site of where the first Boy Scount Jamboree in Washington, D.C. was held. Lyndon B. Johnson, who was the Senate majority leader at the time, introduced the measure to the Senate. The memorial was eventually unveiled in a ceremony on November 7, 1964. The statue was accepted for the country by Associate Supreme Court Justice Tom Clark, who noted it was his fiftieth anniversary as an Eagle Scout.

The bronze statue consists of three figures: a Boy Scout, a woman and a man. Each figure symbolizes the idea of the great and noble forces that are an inspiring background of each Scout as he goes about the business of becoming a man and a citizen.

The male figure symbolizes physical, mental and moral fitness, love of country, good citizenship, loyalty, honor, courage and clean living. He carries a helmet, a symbol of masculine attire and a live oak branch, a symbol of peace and of strength.

The female figure symbolizes enlightenment with the light of faith, love of God, high ideals, liberty, justice, freedom, democracy and love of fellow man; symbolizing the spiritual qualities of good citizenship. She holds high the eternal flame of God’s Holy Spirit.

The figure of the Boy Scout represents the hopes of all past, present and future scouts around the world and the hopes of every home, church and school that all that is great and noble in the Nation’s past and present will continue to live in them and through them in many generations to come.

A small pool in front of the memorial represents the honor of those children who joined the Boy Scouts of America.

Boy Scout Oath or Promise
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

John Randolph, a Founder of the American Colonization Society

Image by elycefeliz
In 1816 the formation of the American Colonization Society gave organizational form to the belief that blacks would be better off settled in colonies back in Africa.

Men including Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and John Randolph supported the society’s goals. Abraham Lincoln wold as well. They did so out of a belief that the prejudice of race was so strong in America that free blacks would never successfully integrate into society, and that slavery itself was a "necessary evil" that warped Southern institutions and might best be abolished gradually.
from The Civil War, Louis Masur

The American Colonization Society (in full, The Society for the Colonization of Free People of Color of America), founded in 1816, was the primary vehicle to support the "return" of free African Americans to what was considered greater freedom in Africa. It helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22 as a place for freedmen. Its founders were Henry Clay, John Randolph, and Richard Bland Lee.

Three of the reasons the movement never became very successful were the objections raised by free blacks and abolitionists, the scale and costs of moving many people (there were 4 million freedmen in the South after the Civil War), and the difficulty in finding locations willing to accept large numbers of black newcomers.

A few nice Citizenship and Freedom images I found:

Mississauga Santa Claus Parade , November 30, 2008 / Habitat For Humanity

Image by bill barber
I’m still officially down for a bit, but I posted these for my extended families and friends. I don’t really expect comments since I won’t be commenting on yours for a bit.

From my set entitled "Mississauga Santa Claus Parade 2008"
farm4.static.flickr.com/3245/3075199413_9773a5e13b_s.jpg
In my collection "Places"
www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/collections/7215760074…
In my photostream
www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/

Taken from Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_for_Humanity
Habitat For Humanity International (HFHI) (generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or simply Habitat) is an international, ecumenical Christian, non-governmental, non-profit organization devoted to building "simple, decent, and affordable" housing. Homes are built using volunteer labor and are sold at no profit. In locations outside the United States, Habitat for Humanity charges interest to protect against inflation. This policy has been in place since 1986.

The organization was founded in 1976 in Americus, Ga., by Millard and Linda Fuller, whose vision grew out of their experiences at Koinonia Farm. The international operational headquarters are located in Americus, with the administrative headquarters located in Atlanta, Ga. Staff members at all locations serve to support and promote the activities of local, independent Habitat for Humanity groups, which initiate and manage construction, mortgages and homeowner selection worldwide.

In 1996, U.S. President Bill Clinton awarded Fuller the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, calling Habitat for Humanity “…the most successful continuous community service project in the history of the United States.”[1] By 2004 Habitat had built 50,000 houses in the U.S. and over 175,100 around the world, with Habitat groups working in over 100 countries. Although headquartered in the United States, two thirds of Habitat construction takes place in other countries. In 2005 Habitat built its 200,000th house, bringing the number of people sheltered in Habitat houses worldwide to one million. On November 13-14, Habitat for Humanity will build its 3000,000th house in Collier County, FL.[2]

On 4 August 2005, Habitat announced the selection of a new Chief Executive Officer for the organization, former president of stores of Musicland and executive pastor of the Edina, Minnesota Christ Presbyterian Church, Jonathan Reckford.[3]

In the fall of 2007, alternative rock bands Switchfoot and Relient K went on the Appetite For Construction Tour, partnering with Habitat while raising awareness for the organization and donating a dollar per ticket sold. The tour was highly successful, raising over 0,000 for donation to the cause. [4]

According to the official website,

Homeowner families are chosen according to their need; their ability to repay the no-profit, affordable mortgage; and their willingness to work in partnership with Habitat. Habitat for Humanity does not discriminate according to race, religion or ethnic group.

Independent, local affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International are allowed to interpret these guidelines as is deemed most appropriate for the location of the affiliate.

Homeowners are usually expected to put approximately 500 hours of "sweat equity" into their own or other project homes, although this amount may vary by location, the number of wage-earning adults in each family, and the recipients health issues.

Mortgage payments from homeowners are deposited into a locally-administered "Fund for Humanity," the proceeds of which go toward future construction. In an effort to discourage predatory lenders from targeting Habitat homeowner families, mortgage agreements allow the Habitat for Humanity affiliate the right of first refusal. Should a homeowner family decide to sell their home during the period of their mortgage, the affiliate may buy it back at a price at least equal to the equity that the homeowner has paid into the mortgage.[5]

Habitat homeowners in the United States pay no interest on their no-profit mortgages. Habitat for Humanity organizations outside the United States adjust the no-profit loans to compensate for the inflation rate in their area, with the goal that "the repayments from one house should ideally build another house of the same design."[6]

Habitat builds simple houses with locally appropriate materials. This could mean concrete block homes in Third World nations or poured concrete-walled homes in hurricane-prone regions of the United States. Chapters of Habitat in more developed countries are strongly encouraged to donate ten percent of the money they raise for local housing to the national group for the purpose of building Third World homes. For instance, Habitat New Zealand’s tithe helps to support an equal number of housing outcomes abroad, predominantly in the Pacific region.

Habitat relies on volunteer labor in order to construct simple and affordable homes for its partner families, as well as to build community and civil society in the areas in which it works. Most volunteers are unskilled prior to first working with Habitat, although some professional or retired tradesmen or contractors may donate their services. Many churches and other houses of worship (synagogues, temples, mosques etc.) sponsor houses and provide a large amount of the volunteers from their congregations. Some corporations and businesses who value good corporate citizenship provide financial support to the projects and/or donate materials for use in construction. Many politicians and celebrities have volunteered with Habitat, reflecting its profile as a highly regarded non-profit.

Habitat for Humanity International develops special programs to support local Habitat organizations. These programs are designed to engage specific groups for annual projects or on an ongoing basis.

Habitat has initiated a special program to help restore housing to the areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The effort is focused on getting the local affiliates in these areas back on their feet and prepared to build for their communities. It has also become a catalyst for other organizations, corporations and the government to provide help and support in rebuilding these areas, and has received considerable national media attention.

The program pre-builds housing components in nearby less-affected locations such as Jackson, Mississippi, allowing much of the construction to be accomplished while basic infrastructure is being restored. Pre-constructed components can then be shipped to the affected areas and built at a faster rate. Within two months of the time of the disaster, construction had begun on houses in the Louisiana cities of Covington and Slidell, near New Orleans.

Operation Home Delivery is Habitat for Humanity International’s hurricane rebuilding program, Harry Connick Jr., and Branford Marsalis are honorary chairs, and one of the many projects along the Gulf Coast, is the Musicians’ Village at New Orleans Habitat for Humanity.[7]

Habitat for Humanity runs a year-round alternative break program known as Collegiate Challenge for student groups age 16 and up.[8] Although summer, fall, and winter break trips are available, most participants go during their spring break. Collegiate Challenge volunteers travel to affiliates throughout the United States and participate in week-long building activities at their host’s work sites. More than 14,500 volunteers took part in Collegiate Challenge in 2008, making it one of the world’s largest alternative break programs. Since its inception in 1989, more than 150,000 students have participated in Collegiate Challenge.

As suggested by the name, Habitat for Humanity International places a strong emphasis on building outside the United States. Its international character dates back even before its formal inception, as founder Millard Fuller received considerable inspiration while on a three-year trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire) during which he and his family sought to apply Koinonia principles outside the limits of the small Georgia farm.

Volunteers today can build with Habitat affiliates throughout the world on Global Village Trips.[9] After having gone through training, trip leaders organize travel plans with the support of the Americus-headquartered Global Village Department, first formally established in 1988. Participants from all over are then able to register for trips to their destination of choice. Teams generally number between eight and fifteen, with trips usually last between nine to fourteen days.

When people of different faiths and cultures come together to build a house, individuals learn from and find new respect for one another. Coming together for the common goal of building a house with a neighbor in need has proven to be a successful way for bringing healing to divided communities and creating a sense of cross cultural unity.

There are many projects that go hand in hand with the house building projects that allow these homes to supply their own electricity through the use of solar. US companies such as Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) have partnered with Habitat for Humanity to provide complete solar grids for a few homes.[10] There are also other solar projects, mostly in the US, like one in San Francisco,[11] as well as normal citizens that are trying to make a difference by raising funds to get more of these solar homes built.[12]

During Home Builders Blitz 2008, more than 1,000 building industry professionals in 110 Habitat for Humanity affiliates built 263 new homes across the United States. This was the second national Home Builders Blitz program, which was begun on the local level in 2002 in Raleigh, N.C. Since then, the professional homebuilders industry has supported Habitat by building more than 800 homes.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter became involved with Habitat for Humanity in 1984 and has since become its most high-profile proponent. He has been involved in fund-raising and publicity as well as actual homebuilding, taking part in the annual Jimmy Carter Work Project "blitz build".[13]

In 2008 Habitat for Humanity celebrated the 25th annual building project with the Carters and renamed it to include Mrs. Carter. The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project focused on supporting the Gulf Coast community seeking to rebuild after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Despite periodic downpours, volunteers got most of the work done during one week in June to finish building and fixing 60 houses and frame 48 more.[14]

Originating in 1991 with a Charlotte, North Carolina home built entirely by a crew of female volunteers, Habitat’s Women Build program encourages women to make a difference by building homes and communities. Women Build projects provide an environment in which women can feel comfortable learning construction skills they might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn. Globally, more than 1,200 homes have been completed by Women Build volunteers. [15]

Habitat ReStores are retail outlets that re-sell new and used building and household materials donated by large companies, job sites, and individuals. For some Habitat affiliates, like Habitat for Humanity Toronto, the ReStores generate sufficient revenue to cover all administrative costs. This means that every dollar donated to the organization goes directly to home building, and not to pay for overhead such as administrative costs.[16]

The video for rock band Bon Jovi’s song "Who Says You Can’t Go Home" features Habitat for Humanity volunteers as well as the band building homes as part of Habitat for Humanity in Philadelphia, close to Bon Jovi’s native New Jersey. It reflects Jon Bon Jovi’s dedication to the organization and highlights the importance of community unity, faith, and involvement.

The Habitat Bike Challenge began in 1995 as a product of Yale University’s Antony Brydon’s desire to spend a summer biking across the United States while raising money for Habitat. Along the way from coast to coast, riders raise money by explaining Habitat’s mission and even building along with Habitat affiliates in the towns they stop. Riders must raise a certain amount before the trip and spend nearly three months of their summer spreading the word about Habitat and getting communities involved. Bike and Build grew out of the Habitat Bike Challenge in 2002. Over five seasons, Bike & Build has contributed ,144,231 to housing groups to fund projects planned and executed by young adults; this includes 1,327 donated from the summer of 2007.[2]

Although Habitat for Humanity enjoys high name recognition and regard as a non-profit, it has also been the subject of criticism. An article in the Weekly Standard [17] magazine questioned the cost-effectiveness of Habitat building projects. It is difficult to estimate effectiveness, as total volunteer hours on-site and aggregated homeowner financial data are not available.

However, Habitat houses in the United States are more affordable for low-income families than commercially built houses because volunteers help build the homes, which are sold at no profit. [18] In many countries, purchasing a Habitat house costs even less per month than renting substandard housing.[19]

Families are required to show an ability to pay for their home in addition to the need for housing. With these requirements, homeless and low income families may fail to qualify for a Habitat home. Most American Habitat affiliates perform credit checks and criminal record checks on applicants before partnering with them for the construction of a home. Some critics therefore allege that Habitat misrepresents the nature of its work by partnering with families that might be considered nearly "middle-income."[20] To address this, many Habitat affiliates in the United States partner only with families that fall below the government-set "poverty line" for their area. The current poverty rate is measured according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines.[21]

The credit and income requirements help assure that Habitat applicants are able to maintain their houses. Foreclosures on Habitat houses have been very low: 2%, according to official figures. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build more Habitat homes.[22]

Habitat’s founder, Millard Fuller, and his wife were dismissed by the Habitat board of directors on January 31, 2005, citing “a pattern of ongoing public comments and communications by the Fullers that have been divisive and disruptive to the organization’s work”[23] after Fuller was accused of "suggestive comments and inappropriate touching" toward a female employee during a ride to the Atlanta airport in 2003. Some Fuller supporters claim that the firing was due to a change in corporate culture.[24]

Before Fuller’s termination, attempts were made by former President Jimmy Carter to broker an agreement that would allow Fuller to retire with his ,000 salary intact; when Fuller was found to have violated the non-disclosure portion of this agreement, he was subsequently fired.

In response to his dismissal from the project he founded, Fuller has established The Fuller Center for Housing.

In January 2008 a dispute arose between the parent organization and an unspecified number of local Habitat for Humanity affiliate organizations over the terms of their cooperation agreement. These local affiliates contended that the agreement gave the international organization too much power over the assets and operations of the local chapters. One of the affiliates, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio, reached an agreement with HFHI in July 2008 to “continue working together in their efforts to make affordable housing possible.”[25]

Ulster Covenant mural

Image by kyz
The Ulster Covenant… half a million Ulster people can’t be wrong!

Pictured: Edward Carson, the first person to sign the Covenant.

BEING CONVINCED in our consciences that Home Rule would be disastrous to the material well-being of Ulster as well as of the whole of Ireland, subversive of our civil and religious freedom, destructive of our citizenship, and perilous to the unity of the Empire, we, whose names are underwritten, men of Ulster, loyal subjects of His Gracious Majesty King George V, humbly relying on the God whom our fathers in days of stress and trial confidently trusted, do hereby pledge ourselves in solemn Covenant, throughout this our time of threatened calamity, to stand by one another in defending, for ourselves and our children, our cherished position of equal citizenship in the United Kingdom, and in using all means which may be found necessary to defeat the present conspiracy to set up a Home Rule Parliament in Ireland. And in the event of such a Parliament being forced upon us, we further solemnly and mutually pledge ourselves to refuse to recognize its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare that we have not already signed this Covenant.

Statue of Liberty Celebration_02

Image by West Point Public Affairs
Lady Liberty came to America 125 years ago and millions followed in search of the freedom she came to represent. The West Point Band and Cadet Glee Club helped celebrate the anniversary of the Statue of Liberty dedication on Oct. 28, joining hundreds of invited guests in the festivities.
Among the day’s highlights, 125 recent immigrants from 46 countries swore the oath of American citizenship. Following the performances by the West Point Band and Cadet Glee Club, actress Sigourney Weaver recited the poem, “The New Colossus” written by Emma Lazarus. Webcams perched on the statue’s torch captured the countdown as its lights switched on. The celebration capped off with a fireworks display. Photo by Mike Strasser, West Point Public Affairs