It is sometimes easy to lose sight of the benefits we enjoy as Americans, while we confront the escalating, present and future, dangers that our country now faces. Perhaps, at this time, we can draw insight from the words of a great American patriot and leader, George Washington.

August 18 1790, a little over a year after his inauguration as President, Washington was presented with letters of warm admiration from a delegation representing the Touro Synagogue of New Port, RI.

Washingtons response respected the civil rights of all American citizens. Yet he warned that there is a corresponding requirement encumbant of all Americans to be "good" citizens.

From President Washington:

"The citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy, a policy worthy of imitation.

All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it for all occasions their effectual support."

He further adds that; "every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid."

Thoughts?