Happy Friday, Gang!
In accord with a nearly world-wide practice, I begin today with T.G.I.F.!
Interestingly enough, when researching today’s topic, I came across a segment stating that Pres. Barack Obama doesn’t mention “God” enough in his references to our Great Nation in his addresses and speeches. This allegation was made by none other than the “notorious” Michele Bachman, and her religious right friends in the Congressional Prayer Caucus …. believe it … or not! Some say our national motto should be “In God We Trust” rather than the Latin phrase selected by the founding fathers, “E Pluribus Unum”, which means “from many, one”. Initially, that phrase was referring to the many states of these United States of America. Yet, with the inclusion of so many nationalities in the USA, the meaning has taken a new and improved form referring to from many nationalities, perhaps, comes this one great nation.
The Fourth of July has special meaning to the citizens here, and, oftentimes to those abroad who have become regular “visitors”, if you will, to the shores of America … from sea to shining sea. On the 4th, I had the pleasure of joining a friend and her son at the beach in Fort Lauderdale, FL. This time, we hung out at the picnic area where families gather as early as 6am to claim a grill and multiple picnic tables provided by the City of Ft. Lauderdale there on A-1-A. Sally, I believe, is Irish and her baby’s daddy is Italian. Their son is a blond haired kid of 12 who likes to hang out with all ethnic groups, usually black kids, if you will. We didn’t get there in time to procure a grill so, since it was just three of us with maybe six pieces of chicken to grill, some “brothers” from Tuskegee, AL, who had a tent displaying the renown Tuskegee Institute’s colors, had come to visit a daughter of theirs and upon the kid’s request, invited her to use their grill in the down-time of cooking their racks of ribs, chicken and the other typical “4th” goodies!
Directly in front of us was another tent of what appeared to be Polynesian people, which also included another “brother”, a balding white guy with a big belly and a plethora of what apparently seemed to be again … Polynesians. I didn’t ask, I just observed, as my social scientist nature compels me to do! There were a few kids, lots of women (one who helped everyone in the vicinity put up their tents) and just one or two men. Their physical characteristics intrigued me as they varied from one to another and the language they spoke was even more interesting to me. “From many … one!” Hear, hear now … in spite of Michele Bachman, The Tea Party, and Donald Trump, I am proud to be an American.
In closing, I just wanted to acknowledge the developments in the Trayvon Martin Saga . . . George Zimmerman has been given a new bail of a million dollars, a strict “lockdown” type curfew because the Justice Department here in Sanford, FL decided that he was indeed making a mockery of the legal system by lying about the monies they had and, hiding a second passport. It led the judge to believe that Zimmerman was intending to flee the country and avoid consequences of his behavior in the murder of Trayvon Martin. In God We Trust!
Have a great weekend, in peace!
John I. Cook, Director
Educational Excellence
http://www.excelwitheducationalexcellence.wordpress.com
ps. – Congratulations today to my yogis, Christen Iannone and Preston Scott who are tieing the knot in Rhode Island today!
, Director
Educational Excellence 