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Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News – October 11, 2006 Commentary Making Virginia First Again Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum
I am teaching a course “Highlights of Virginia History” every Tuesday morning for eight weeks to 58 mature adults at the Washington Plaza Baptist Church as part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of George Mason University (www.olli.gmu.edu). I was one of the founders of the Institute working with the late Kathryn Brooks, Lilyan Spero, and others to interest GMU in the project and to plan its first noncredit offerings. I have offered several courses over the years mainly around my primary interest in the history of Virginia since Reconstruction. Preparing for this current course is fun but time consuming. Part of my rationale to teach such a course without compensation is that it disciplines me to re-read history that I find very interesting. As I explained to the class, my interest in Virginia’s history goes back at least to when I was in the fourth grade at Grove Hill Elementary School, and we took a field trip to Jamestown. The last couple of classes have examined Virginia’s role in the American Revolution and the leadership of Virginia in the formation of the new nation. Never in history has there ever been such an assemblage of genius and talent as in Virginia in the late eighteenth century. Scholars debate which of these giants was more prominent; each contributed in his own special way. George Mason in his opposition to strong centralized government wrote the Declaration of Rights as part of Virginia’s new constitution. His work provided a model and draft for the Bill of Rights to the federal Constitution. Thomas Jefferson’s statement of natural rights in the Declaration of Independence changed the course of world history as did his Statute for Religious Freedom. James Madison got Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom passed in Virginia, proved himself indispensable in the writing of the new constitution, and using Mason’s lead wrote the Bill of Rights. Patrick Henry’s oratory was critical to getting Virginia to join the Revolution. George Washington’s leadership and the esteem with which he was held helped to bring the new country together at a critical time in its formation. There are other lesser known Virginians who made significant contributions to the formation of the country as well. A decade or more ago the Virginia Education Association’s campaign on behalf of public schools had as its theme, “Virginia led the Eighteenth Century; Virginia can lead the Twentieth Century.” I am not sure we reached that goal last century, but I would propose that we extend the timeline on the goal to the twenty-first century. And I would further propose that we make Election Day, November 7, the first opportunity to show our leadership to the Nation. The so-called “marriage amendment” on the ballot is the most dramatic affront to Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and Mason and Madison’s Bill of Rights that has ever been seen. Never would these great Virginians support the intrusion of government into private lives and personal contracts as the amendment proposes. By voting no on the amendment Virginians will show that they understand the meaning of personal freedoms and liberties, and Virginia will be put into a national leadership role once again. And maybe we can overcome being the brunt of jokes from the U.S. Senate campaign in the state.
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The General Election is Tuesday, November 7
Need to Vote Absentee?
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Delegate Ken Plum’s Weekly “Virginia Report” on Reston Comcast Channel 28
Tonight - Wednesday, October 11 at 10:30 p.m. – Laura Robertson and Leslie Nickel of the Commonwealth Coalition – “Considering the So-Called Marriage Amendment”
Tuesday, October 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, October 18 at 10:30 p.m. – Mikal Elaine Meyer and Linda Ethington, Y-ME Breast Cancer Organization – “Every Woman’s Fight Against Breast Cancer”
* * * Announcements
Tonight – The Campaign for a Living Wage hosts a very special showing of excerpts from “Waging a Living,” the compelling new PBS documentary chronicling the daily lives of the working poor. Afterwards, the Democratic and Republican nominees for Northern Virginia’s House races and Senate race have been invited to comment on the film and answer questions about the living wage and proposals to increase the minimum wage. View this special showing tonight, October 11, 7:00 p.m., at the Cinema at Johnson Center, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax.
The 5th Annual Reston at Home Tour presented by Reston Historic Trust will be held this Saturday, October 14, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Five unique, privately owned homes will be open to the public for a self-conducted tour throughout Reston neighborhoods and clusters. This year’s tour will focus on the arts featuring the homes of art collectors, artists, and musicians. Tour passes are $20 in advance, available at the Reston Museum at Lake Anne Village Center and at the Greater Reston Arts Center at Reston Town Center. On tour day, tickets are $25.
An opportunity to talk to the experts during a Financial Straight Talk program will be available on Saturday, October 14, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Hilton Arlington, 950 South Stafford Street, Arlington. This event is sponsored by the State Corporation Commission’s Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. Admission is free, but reservations are required. For additional information or to register, call the SCC’s Securities Division at 804.371.9051 or email investoreducation@scc.virginia.gov/division/srf.
The Financially Constrained Long-Range Transportation Plan (CLRP) draft for the Washington metropolitan region for the next 25 years is available for review at www.regionaltransportationplan.org. Public comments on the draft plan are being solicited by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board by October 14, 2006. Direct comments to TPBPublicComment@mwcog.org or call 202.962.3262.
Attend The Energy Virginia Symposium at Virginia Military Institute, October 17-19, in Lexington, Virginia. By July 2007, Virginia will have developed a 10-year Virginia Energy Plan, as tasked by Governor Kaine and the General Assembly. The Energy Virginia Symposium will offer an opportunity for public input into the plan and for national and state experts to convene and discuss the issues and opportunities. Visit www.energyvacon.org for details.
The Faith Communities in Action (FCIA) Affordable Housing Task Force will sponsor a community meeting for Planning Committee to End Homelessness on Wednesday, October 18, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Reston Community Center at Lake Anne, 1609-A Washington Plaza, in Reston. Call 703.324.3453 to rsvp or email CILuser@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Take the “Fish & Chips Challenge” to benefit Nature House at the second Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament on Thursday, October 19, 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, Reston Town Center, 11920 Democracy Drive. The event is sponsored by Friends of Reston. For more information and ticket sales, contact Katie Shaw, kshaw@reston.org, 703.435.6510.
The ALS Association-DC/MD/VA Chapter is sponsoring an annual Walk to D’Feet ALS in Washington, DC on October 22. ALS is amyotropic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. For more information call 301.978.9855 or visit www.alsinfo.org.
Attend the Fit for Life 5th Annual Women’s Wellness Workshops on Saturday, October 21, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Johnson Student Center, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. Your $30 registration fee includes a snack from Whole Foods, a Panera Box Lunch, the keynote by GMU Coach Larranaga, and your choice of 3 workshops from a large list of offerings including financial fitness, feng shui, massage therapy, health through movement and dance, sharpening mental skills, maintaining optimal health with acupuncture and Qi Gong, mindfulness meditation, stress relief, Tai Chi for balance and coordination, healing gardening, and much more. To register, visit www.y-me.org/nationalcapitalarea/events or call 703.461.9595.
Join Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia at the Second Annual Black Tie & Tool Belt (both optional) Gala Awards Reception on Sunday, October 22, 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at The Waterford, 6715 Commerce Street, Springfield. The evening will feature a silent auction with a wonderful array of prizes. All proceeds will support Habitat’s work in Northern Virginia. For sponsorship opportunities and tickets, visit www.habitatnova.org or email info@habitatnova.org.
Review and provide comments on projects and programs that are candidates for inclusion in the Fiscal Year 2008-2013 Six-Year Improvement Program for interstate and primary highway needs, as well as rail and public transportation initiative. This fall public meeting will be held on November 1, Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway. There will be an open forum at 7:00 p.m., following by a public discussion session at 7:30 p.m.
Attend a professional development course, “Resolving Land Use Disputes,” presented by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy on November 2-3 at the Holiday Inn Tysons Corner in McLean. Go to www.lincolninst.edu for registration and program information. Registration deadline is October 20.
***************** Authorized and paid for by Kenneth R. Plum.
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