RAHALL REPORT: Supermen Ought to Return
From the desk of U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV)Representing West Virginia's 3rd District
Washington, D.C. (HNN) -- This July Fourth weekend is expected to draw the attention of many young Americans to the tried and true American holiday weekend ritual -- going to the movies. The movie “Superman Returns” is at the theatres. A patriot-superhero for the all-American patriotic holiday will seem fitting to perhaps millions, but it's my hope that families will pause, if just a few minutes, to share a more important American moment with their kids. Before I sound too out of touch, let me share a story with you.
We have all seen the abysmal statistics about the lack of historical knowledge and understanding our young people possess. How do we resolve this deficit that surely will cost our future dearly? Let me share a short story with you. One of my staff members recently related the following story to me about her son, a fine ten-year-old, who, during a school evaluation, had the following exchange:
Counselor: "What do you think the implications of our democracy are for the future of our country?"
Student: "Well, first, we don't live in a democracy; we live in a democratic republic...."
The counselor was stunned as the young man continued to accurately describe our government's underpinnings. Now I know that this young man's parents care greatly about his education, certainly in the classroom, certainly in his community, but, most importantly, they feel his education really begins at home. I think they made a difference with their child, and I firmly believe we all can.
Yes, Superman instills some important lessons for our youth, but so do our history and our heritage. We need to return often to the supermen and superwomen of our past to light the way for our future. The age of Jefferson and Adams, of Washington, Franklin, and Madison, so far removed from us today in many respects, still provide us lessons for tomorrow.
These Founders -- though of different politics, from different regions -- shared one great common bond, learning from, and leaning on, the lessons of history. And from those lessons came their superheroes. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence which we celebrate this Fourth of July, had his supermen: Newton, Locke, and Bacon. Alexander Hamilton, our first Secretary of the Treasury most admired Julius Caesar. All these heroes shook human foundations, and rethought our universe.
This July Fourth, amid the picnics and patriotic parades, feast for a while with your kids on the meaning of the day, march with your family to the tune of our national independence. In far off lands this Fourth, thousands of Americans stand sentinel. The best tribute we can pay them this Fourth is to let our kids know their own responsibilities to their Country, and that includes an appreciation of who we are as a Nation.
Benjamin Franklin was asked upon leaving the Constitutional Convention by a concerned citizen, "What have you given us, Dr. Franklin a democracy or a republic? He answered, "A republic Madam, if you can keep it." My staffer's ten-year-old understands that, and so should we all.