If you were among the two hundred guests gathered for the launch of USA250-OC in the East Room of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, I am confident that you were both informed and inspired. If you were unable to join us, you can view the program on C-SPAN and YouTube in the very near future.
Guests were welcomed to the Library by Jim Byron, President of the Nixon Foundation, who introduced Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez as our masterful Master of Ceremonies. Tim Kepler opened the program with a stirring rendition of our National Anthem, followed by the invocation by Matthew Cork, Pastor of the Yorba Linda Friends church (see attached).
USA250-OC has been honored with the endorsement of all five members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, each as an Honorary Co-chair of USA250-OC. Immediate past Chairman of the Board and Honorary Chair of USA250-OC, Don Wagner, offered brief remarks refleting on the importance of civic literacy and engagement. Newly elected Chairman of the OC Board of Supervisors, Doug Chaffee and his wife attended the event while Supervisors Vicente Sarmiento, Katrina Foley and Janet Nuygen were represented.
We were also honored by the presence of many other Orange County leaders, including OC Treasurer Shari Friedenrich, Assessor Claude Parrish, Auditor-Controller Andrew Hamilton, Clerk Recorder Hugh Nguyen, Superintendent of Public Education Stefan Bean, OCTA Chairman Tam Nguyen, OC Board of Education Member Tim Shaw, Nixon Foundation Treasurer Charlie Zhang, the Deputy General Consul of South Korea Song Won Kwon….and many others.
The audience was delighted when General George Washington took the stage, but pleasantly surprised and moved when he expounded eloquently on the importance of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence as a stimulant for Americans to learn more about our history; its founding principles; and our responsibilies as citizens to carry on the legacy bequeathed to us from the patriots of former times. He graciously agreed to pose for pictures with guests after the program ended.
The audience remained rivited to the stage as keynote speaker Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the Philadelphia-based National Constitution Center, addressed how the classical Greek and Roman writers inspired the lives of our Founders and defined America. Drawing from his most recent book, “The Pursuit of Happiness,” Rosen emphasized the historic meaning of “pursuit of happiness” – that “virtue is the only true path to happiness;” it’s not about feeling good, it’s about being good. This notion was an imperative in the lives of our Founders as many made it a paramount pursuit in their personal and public lives. Among the virtues sought after were order, humility, justice, silence, resolution, frugality, temperance, moderation and industry. Citing specific stories from the lives of Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Mercy Otis Warren, Phyllis Wheatley, John Adams, and yes, General Washington, as well as others, Rosen addressed why these virtues are as important today as they were two centuries and two millenia ago and why they are foundational supports to a government by the people.
Concluding the program was a panel with General Washington; Mr. Rosen; Jo Ellen Chatham, Co-chair of USA250-OC; and Chris Lowe, Director of Education for the Nixon Foundation, charged with developing educational materials for the American Civics Campaign.
After praising Mr. Rosen for his outstanding presentation, a guest asked Dr. Chatham why this topic had been selected to “kick off” the USA250-OC project. She noted that our government is of, by and for the people. As citizens we must be informed about how that government works (civic literacy); show respect our fellow citizens, (civility); and be engaged in the life of our community (civic engagement). Civic literacy and civility are essential to effective civic enagement. But at the core, it is the character of the people – we as individual citizens – that make a constitutional democracy viable. Mr. Rosen’s book uses history, both ancient and near-modern, to remind us about our own personal character and participation in public life.
We are most grateful to our program participants, the USA250-OC and Nixon Foundation staff, and to all those who will, now and in the months to come, join USA250-OC as we learn from and about our history and each other.
