Don’t Forget Washington and Lincoln
By Brother Rogers
Today we celebrate Presidents’ Day. Wait, that’s not entirely accurate. There’s not a lot of celebrating going on since most of us don’t get the day off from work. Today we pause to honor the 42 men who have served as president of the United States. No, that can’t be it. Most of us can’t name them all, and with good reason. Only a few are distinguished.
With no disrespect intended for any of these 42 men, wouldn’t it make more sense to honor only the very best presidents? Wouldn’t our nation be better served by focusing on our most outstanding presidents, perhaps Washington and Lincoln, rather than having them lost in the mix with the likes of Grant and Harding?
Of course, that is precisely what we used to do not so long ago. One thing my grandmother taught me was that everything new isn’t always better. (She also taught me that Lincoln was a scoundrel, but that is another story).
When most of today’s adults were children, February 22nd was observed as a federal public holiday to honor the birthday of George Washington and February 12th was observed as a public holiday (in most states) to honor the birthday of Abraham Lincoln.
Ignoring the adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Congress passed a law, which became effective in 1971, declaring one single federal public holiday – Presidents’ Day – to be observed on the third Monday of February, honoring all past presidents of the United States.
Certainly there are presidents other than Washington and Lincoln who were great. Jefferson, Jackson and both Roosevelts come to mind, along with my personal favorite Harry Truman. But Washington and Lincoln are more worthy of reverence and remembrance than the others.
Washington is the foremost founder of the Republic. He stood out to the Founding Fathers who made him the only president ever elected unanimously, and he should stand out today. He is considered the irreplaceable man in both the American Revolution and the nascent years of our nation.
Lincoln preserved and perfected what Washington and company had created. He held the nation together in its greatest crisis and in the process ridded a free nation of slavery. He made sure that government of the people, by the people and for the people remained alive and well.
Today many college students don’t know who presided at the Constitutional Convention or who wrote the Gettysburg Address. Washington and Lincoln are just obscure names from history.
While we are stuck with Presidents’ Day as a holiday, it is altogether fitting and proper that we single out Washington and Lincoln. Our lives in the 21st century are better because they answered the call to public service.
Brother Rogers is a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News and works for the Stennis Center for Public Service.
Today we celebrate Presidents’ Day. Wait, that’s not entirely accurate. There’s not a lot of celebrating going on since most of us don’t get the day off from work. Today we pause to honor the 42 men who have served as president of the United States. No, that can’t be it. Most of us can’t name them all, and with good reason. Only a few are distinguished.
With no disrespect intended for any of these 42 men, wouldn’t it make more sense to honor only the very best presidents? Wouldn’t our nation be better served by focusing on our most outstanding presidents, perhaps Washington and Lincoln, rather than having them lost in the mix with the likes of Grant and Harding?
Of course, that is precisely what we used to do not so long ago. One thing my grandmother taught me was that everything new isn’t always better. (She also taught me that Lincoln was a scoundrel, but that is another story).
When most of today’s adults were children, February 22nd was observed as a federal public holiday to honor the birthday of George Washington and February 12th was observed as a public holiday (in most states) to honor the birthday of Abraham Lincoln.
Ignoring the adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Congress passed a law, which became effective in 1971, declaring one single federal public holiday – Presidents’ Day – to be observed on the third Monday of February, honoring all past presidents of the United States.
Certainly there are presidents other than Washington and Lincoln who were great. Jefferson, Jackson and both Roosevelts come to mind, along with my personal favorite Harry Truman. But Washington and Lincoln are more worthy of reverence and remembrance than the others.
Washington is the foremost founder of the Republic. He stood out to the Founding Fathers who made him the only president ever elected unanimously, and he should stand out today. He is considered the irreplaceable man in both the American Revolution and the nascent years of our nation.
Lincoln preserved and perfected what Washington and company had created. He held the nation together in its greatest crisis and in the process ridded a free nation of slavery. He made sure that government of the people, by the people and for the people remained alive and well.
Today many college students don’t know who presided at the Constitutional Convention or who wrote the Gettysburg Address. Washington and Lincoln are just obscure names from history.
While we are stuck with Presidents’ Day as a holiday, it is altogether fitting and proper that we single out Washington and Lincoln. Our lives in the 21st century are better because they answered the call to public service.
Brother Rogers is a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News and works for the Stennis Center for Public Service.