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Why George Washington Matters.
Lessons from a flawed but reflective man.
Since we’re in the middle of a contentious Presidential election, I have begun to consider our country’s Founders, and in particular, our first President. To me, George Washington has always been an enigma; stoic, distant, and unapproachable. I’ve been to Mount Vernon, which, again seemed aloof, reserved, detached.
Yet, his designation as the ‘Father of Our Country,’ intrigues me. And, I wonder, what does that mean, ‘Father of Our Country?’ In the traditional sense, it connotes the ideas of leadership, good character, and morals. Yet, in what meaningful ways for us today did he exhibit those ideals? If we consider his legacy in a fair and balanced way, we will find that Washington showed them through his open-mindedness, tolerance, and vision.
Anecdotally, when I’m speaking with someone about George Washington, one of the first things to come up is that he owned slaves. To be sure, slavery is a terrible institution that should never be allowed. And, it has left an indelible stain on our country’s origin, the legacy of which we still struggle to overcome. George had inherited slaves when he was merely seven years old. Being raised in a pro-slavery state, it was a normal part of life for him to be in a slaveholding family; not an excuse for slavery, just an explanation of the conditions of the time.
