European American Day

Today we celebrate us – those of us who trace our ancestry to the vast subcontinent known as Europe.  Did you know that Europe is the world’s #1 economy?  Biggest GDP of all.  That’s a fact.  Most trade.  And quite the long list of accomplishments.   We intend to focus on their many accomplishments – both at home and here in America.    So, let’s proceed.  Here are just a few things that our European ancestors have brought to all of us – all homo sapiens:

1.     Engineering.  This capability to think and study and analyze darn near everything.  Here, at home, we call it “Yankee ingenuity.”  Almost everything we do, eat, travel on, study, wear and live in comes down to “engineering.”  No, the Europeans did not have a monopoly on “engineering” but we cannot come up with even one area of study that they did not examine.  If you’re interested, here is a paper done by Bruce Seely, Michigan Technical University, about Europeans and “engineering.”  http://upcommons.upc.edu/bitstream/handle/2099/685/european_contribuiton.pdf?sequence=1

2.     In 1959, historian Arthur Schlesinger, published an article in “The Atlantic” entitled – “Our Ten Contributions to Civilization.”  Here a few of them:

a.    The right of revolution – this one still doesn’t exist in many lands

b.    Federalism – this most important of all theories of government and the one that Democrats are so intent on burying

c.    The status of women.  Sorry, Hillary, you are oh-so very late to the cause

d.    Philanthropy

e.    You can read them all at: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1959/03/our-ten-contributions-to-civilization/305144/

3.    Mathematics

4.    Printing

5.    Electricity – no they didn’t create it – they simply harnessed it; used it, everywhere

6.    Language – Communication – Philosophy  

7.    Power:

a.    Mechanical

b.    Electrical

c.    Atomic

8.    Freedoms aplenty

9.    Rights, too many to list

10. Obligation and Responsibility.  These human characteristics which make it work.

We heard some wish to call this day, European American Day (we know, it’s really Columbus Day), indigenous people’s day.  St. Paul, Minnesota; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Portland, Oregon to name a few are leading the effort.

So be it.  We doubt that too many European Americans will take to the streets to protest. But those who choose this alternative could well be advised to celebrate with great reserve less their actions acknowledge that almost anything they do, say, eat, drink, transport on, wear, live in or otherwise touch, consume or even think about much less speak or write about on this day – was discovered or advanced; refined or made universally available with the direct help of Europeans.

Thank you all you Europeans; yes, even you who stayed at home.  But a special thanks to all you Europeans who made the trip.  We like what you have done and the fruits of your brilliance and efforts.  We particularly like that you made the trip because that’s why we are.  In the good old US of A.   Thank you.