July 19, 2009
GUEST COMMENTARY: President Obama Disses DAR Continental Congress Meeting in DC
By Alice Click
As Julie Smith founder of the National Organization of Conservative Women wrote:
“It was not something that would make national headlines, but did not miss a stunned audience, President Barack Obama became the first American president in 118 years to abstain from the same long tradition of addressing the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Continental Congress, named after the governing body of the American Colonies during the American Revolution.”
Since the Revolutionary War – Valley Forge in particular, women have contributed to the Freedom of America. Had it not been for women collecting coats for the troops, many would have frozen to death during that long winter.
Even after such a long time ago, DAR members volunteer more than 60,000 hours annually to veteran patients, award over $150,000 in scholarships and financial aid each year to students, and support schools for the underprivileged with annual donations exceeding one million dollars.*
This year, civil rights legend Dr. Dorothy Irene Height received the highest recognition, the DAR Medal of Honor, for her lifetime of service, leadership and patriotism. Additional events highlighted during Continental Congress that would make any American president proud include:
Founders Medals for Patriotism, Education, Heroism, and Youth
Americanism Award
Outstanding Veteran-Patient of the Year
Outstanding Youth Volunteer of the Year
Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee Award for the Army Nurse of the Year
Margaret Cochran Corbin Award for distinguished women in military service
Outstanding Teacher of American History
Outstanding Community Service Award
Every single U.S. President since DAR’s inception in 1890 has made either a written or video address thanking the now 165,000 member, 3,000 international chapter organization for its contribution to preserving American heritage and its service to our country. Until this year, 2009, when our new President, Barack Obama, decided to ignore the invitation sent to provide an address that would give credit and thanks for the non-partisan, woman-only organization whose members must prove direct lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution regardless of race, religion or ethnic background and whose motto is: God, Home and Country.
During the designated time for the presidential address, the expectant audience, many of whom voted for this president, grew to complete silence as it became clear there would be no address or letter this year. The news from women attending from West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky leaves one wondering what exactly does our new President value if none of the above was reason enough to acknowledge the women responsible for such national achievements. What statement does it make for America and her patriots to become the first President in American history to make no statement at all? How should President Barack H. Obama’s silence settle with the country he leads?
Even President Roosevelt made the trip to Chicago during the war to honor the women patriots.
Editor's Note: Dorothy Height (pictured) is a 97-year-old African-American woman. Everybody knows about the refusal of the DAR to allow African-American soprano Marian Anderson to perform at Constitution Hall in 1939. Click this site (http://www.dar.org/natsociety/content.cfm?ID=1269&hd=n) to read about the DAR's regretting this infamous action and the organization's honoring Anderson on the 70th anniversary of her concert at the Lincoln Memorial, which was substituted for the Constitution Hall venue.
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GUEST COMMENTARY: President Obama Disses DAR Continental Congress Meeting in DC
By Alice Click
As Julie Smith founder of the National Organization of Conservative Women wrote:
“It was not something that would make national headlines, but did not miss a stunned audience, President Barack Obama became the first American president in 118 years to abstain from the same long tradition of addressing the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Continental Congress, named after the governing body of the American Colonies during the American Revolution.”
Since the Revolutionary War – Valley Forge in particular, women have contributed to the Freedom of America. Had it not been for women collecting coats for the troops, many would have frozen to death during that long winter.
Even after such a long time ago, DAR members volunteer more than 60,000 hours annually to veteran patients, award over $150,000 in scholarships and financial aid each year to students, and support schools for the underprivileged with annual donations exceeding one million dollars.*
This year, civil rights legend Dr. Dorothy Irene Height received the highest recognition, the DAR Medal of Honor, for her lifetime of service, leadership and patriotism. Additional events highlighted during Continental Congress that would make any American president proud include:
Founders Medals for Patriotism, Education, Heroism, and Youth
Americanism Award
Outstanding Veteran-Patient of the Year
Outstanding Youth Volunteer of the Year
Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee Award for the Army Nurse of the Year
Margaret Cochran Corbin Award for distinguished women in military service
Outstanding Teacher of American History
Outstanding Community Service Award
Every single U.S. President since DAR’s inception in 1890 has made either a written or video address thanking the now 165,000 member, 3,000 international chapter organization for its contribution to preserving American heritage and its service to our country. Until this year, 2009, when our new President, Barack Obama, decided to ignore the invitation sent to provide an address that would give credit and thanks for the non-partisan, woman-only organization whose members must prove direct lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution regardless of race, religion or ethnic background and whose motto is: God, Home and Country.
During the designated time for the presidential address, the expectant audience, many of whom voted for this president, grew to complete silence as it became clear there would be no address or letter this year. The news from women attending from West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky leaves one wondering what exactly does our new President value if none of the above was reason enough to acknowledge the women responsible for such national achievements. What statement does it make for America and her patriots to become the first President in American history to make no statement at all? How should President Barack H. Obama’s silence settle with the country he leads?
Even President Roosevelt made the trip to Chicago during the war to honor the women patriots.
Editor's Note: Dorothy Height (pictured) is a 97-year-old African-American woman. Everybody knows about the refusal of the DAR to allow African-American soprano Marian Anderson to perform at Constitution Hall in 1939. Click this site (http://www.dar.org/natsociety/content.cfm?ID=1269&hd=n) to read about the DAR's regretting this infamous action and the organization's honoring Anderson on the 70th anniversary of her concert at the Lincoln Memorial, which was substituted for the Constitution Hall venue.
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
