(When I was growing up, there was a separate National Holiday for Lincoln's birthday (Feb. 12) and Washington's birthday (Feb. 22), our two greatest presidents. Those holidays are now smooshed into one Presidents Day, and so no one remembers when Lincoln and Washington were born. Some people think that is for the best. I don't.) … Continue reading In Honor of Presidents Day: The “Top Five” Founding Fathers
There is a serious lack of education and understanding about the inspiring founding of the United States. Most American's don't even know that James Madison is the "Father of the Constitution" and "Father of the Bill of Rights." Thomas Jefferson, the "Father of the Declaration of Independence," proclaimed: "If a nation expects to be ignorant … Continue reading Ingenious James Madison and the Birth of the Constitution
American History Commentary This is "Juneteenth" Month* Enslaved African Americans played a major and vital role in establishing and building this great nation. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude. They do not get enough recognition or credit for their contribution. They should have a large monument, like the Lincoln Memorial or the Jefferson … Continue reading Contribution of Enslaved African Americans
I have five heroes among the Founding Fathers. My personal Hall of Fame includes: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin. (Basically, the first four presidents plus Franklin.) To use Jefferson’s phrase, they are an “assembly of demigods.” These men were not perfect. They had their flaws and their differences. John Adams and … Continue reading Franklin versus Adams and the Night They Shared a Small Bed
The founding fathers and mothers were convinced that victory over the invincible British Empire was the result of Divine Providence. (See Blog Post: “The Divine Birth of the American Nation.) One of the miracles they cite is the successful retreat from the famous Battle of Cowpens. On January 17, 1781, General Daniel Morgan and the Americans … Continue reading Miraculous Retreat from the Battle of Cowpens
Benjamin Franklin is one of only two Americans recognized as “Universal Geniuses.” (The other is Thomas Jefferson.) At the age of 42, Benjamin Franklin retired from the printing business which had made him famous and wealthy. Upon retiring, he devoted more time to experimenting with electricity, or “electrical fire,” as he called it. His groundbreaking experiments … Continue reading Benjamin Franklin and Deadly Electricity
One afternoon I was arraigning a large group of prisoners in the “cage” in my courtroom. I started advising these defendants of their constitutional rights. One of the women suddenly interrupted me and screamed, “I don’t recognize you.” I thought to myself, “I don’t’ recognize you either.” She continued, “I am a god. I don’t recognize you, … Continue reading The Defendant Who Was a God
