All Else Confusion

George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

If you're looking for the perfect recipe to celebrate any feast day, look no further than this blog, Catholic Cuisine.

Labels: Catholic life

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Labels: Jane Austen

I'm a fan of Sarah Palin. Unapologetically. Unlike some I did not just watch the Katie Couric interview and judge Sarah Palin. I actually took a look at her record, watched interviews with those who work with her in Alaska, heard what some of her former opponents had to say about her, and read previous interviews. I listened to the interviews that she gave to talk radio and on Fox. Having spent the time, I can say one thing with surety: Sarah Palin is no dummy. As Fred Barnes notes, people who actually take the time to talk with her, whether they like her or not, all agree that she's intelligent. All the talk about her lack of basic knowledge is ridiculous and people who believe it are frankly dumber than the media and whoever the leak is from the McCain campaign are trying to portray her. As for Palin's supposed lack of knowledge about Africa and other foreign policy matters, she's being supported by Steve Biegun, the former Bush NSC aid who briefed her on foreign policy. His take?

In general, according to Beigun, Palin had a steep learning curve on foreign issues, about what you would expect from a governor. But she has "great instincts and great core values," and is "an instinctive internationalist."

I'm not saying that you can't have policy differences or questions about whether or not she was ready for a national role. But please, can we quit participating in the media's effort to paint the woman as stupid?

Labels: Sarah Palin

Recently, through a National Review article, I discovered the Clare Booth Luce Policy Institute for advancing the ideas of conservative women. The Institute, along with the Heritage Foundation, holds a monthly luncheon called the Conservative Women's Network. This month's CWN was yesterday and featured Kate Obenshain & Diana Furchtgott-Roth discussing the 2008 election. There was quite a lively discussion focusing on where conservatives, and especially conservative women go from here. As you can imagine, Sarah Palin and her impact on the 2008 presidential race as well as her impact on feminism was discussed. Several people told me that it was one of the best attended luncheons - standing room only. The CWN discussions are often carried on C-SPAN, so even if you're not in the DC area, you can still participate. The next CWN luncheon will be on December 12.

Like any place, there are things to love and hate about Virginia - one thing to love? November 7 and I am wearing short sleeves and no jacket!