With the approach of veterans day, this quote just seemed right:
“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, [...]
In a diary entry, John Adams reflects on the importance of business in America. We often forget that our import/export trade and the ability to do business freely is what helped build the country.
“We have nothing to fear but Disunion among ourselves. What will disunite us, more than the Decay of all Business. The People [...]
From an entry in his autobiography, we can see that John Adams had feelings on the matter of waiting to judge.
“We have received sundry Letters from Lt. Simpson, and sundry Certificates from Officers and others, concerning his Behaviour in General, and particularly upon that Occasion, in which he is charged with disobedience of Orders…. Without [...]
Even John Adams had his lazy days. Consider this quote from his diary:
“I have read about 10 Pages in Justinian and Translated about 4 Pages into English. This is the whole of my Days Work. I have smoaked, chatted, trifled, loitered away this whole day almost. By much the greatest Part of this day has [...]
Though any number of quotes from John Adams may relate to the remembering of the tragic events of 9-11-01, this one just seemed to ring of liberty. It sings of the way John Adams considered liberty a product of the people; the way he considered it a product of the power that people have [...]
According to recent surveys, Americans are in favor of change…..they are in favor of any change so that being in opposition to an incumbent may be an advantage. John Adams favored change on many occasions. Consider his plea to Congress during his Third Annual Message to Congress (essentially a State of the Union):
“To give due [...]
There is constant talk on the news, in the papers, and around water coolers about government’s role in our lives. Do you agree with what John Adams had to say about happiness and government?
“The happiness of society is the end of government”
This week, in Indiana, two police officers who were killed during a charity bicycle ride were laid to rest. This is a bit self-service as one was a relative of mine, but nonetheless, John Adams did have somethign to say about service to man:
“If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind [...]
The news is seemingly the same every day, so today I just want to reflect on what John Adams said about change.
“All great changes are irksome to the human mind, especially those which are
attended with great dangers and uncertain effects.”
The United Nations approved force in Lebonan with a newly drafted “rules of engagement.” It seemed appropriate to take a look at how John Adams connected politics and conflict:
“The science of government it is my duty to study, more than all other
sciences; the arts of legislation and administration and negotiation
ought to take the place of, [...]