#george santayana

[quasi-normalcy]

I've always assumed that "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" was some ancient aphorism said by Cicero or Confucius or one of those guys. But no, some guy named George said it in 1980.

[nobeerreviews]

I like to walk about amidst the beautiful things that adorn the world.

-- George Santayana

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

The late 1800s and early 1900s were periods of profound change, with the Industrial Revolution reshaping economies, societies, and lifestyles. Urbanization surged as people migrated from rural areas to cities in search of work and new opportunities. This shift led to the development of infrastructure, such as roads and public transportation systems, that facilitated movement and connected communities like never before. The unpaved street depicted in the photograph represents a transitional moment; while many streets were still unpaved, the burgeoning transportation networks would soon revolutionize travel.

Bicycles played a crucial role in this transformation, becoming symbols of freedom and mobility during the 19th century. With the introduction of the safety bicycle in the 1880s, cycling surged in popularity, providing individuals with an affordable means of transportation. Women, in particular, embraced cycling as it afforded them greater independence and mobility, challenging traditional gender roles in the process. The sight of people riding bikes in the photograph reflects this newfound liberation and the societal shifts that accompanied it.

Hot air balloons, meanwhile, captured the imagination of the public, representing the adventurous spirit of exploration and the quest for flight. The first successful human flight in a hot air balloon took place in 1783, and by the late 19th century, ballooning had evolved into a popular recreational activity. Events like balloon races and exhibitions drew crowds, fostering a sense of wonder about the possibilities of human flight. The presence of a hot air balloon in your photograph serves as a metaphor for the optimistic vision of the future that many people shared during this time. It signified not just technological progress but also the aspiration to transcend earthly limitations.

(Cinematic History)

+

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." (George Santayana)

I've got news for Mr. Santayana: we're doomed to repeat the past no matter what. That's what it is to be alive.” ― Kurt Vonnegut

[philosophicalconservatism]

“Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness (conserving). When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual.”

George Santayana (1863-1952) Spanish philosopher.

[x-heesy]

Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. -George Santayana

𝙳𝚛𝚞𝚐𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙲𝚑𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚋𝚢 𝚂𝚞𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚘 🎧

[craigtowens]

Grateful Remembering Fortifies Us Against Temptation

Time and time again, history shows us that people that forget to be thankful for what has done for them are much more susceptible to the sin of grumbling against God during the difficult times.

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.  https://craigtowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/grateful-remembering-fortifies-us-against-temptation.mp3 It is so much easier to complain than to compliment. We can slide into the negative conversations almost without thinking about it.  In one of the last things that…

[porterdavis]

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

George Santayana

[candle-1-1-shine]

Today's Quote

“The diseases which destroy a man are no less natural than the instincts which preserve him”

George Santayana

[youmaycallmeasha]

[al-sapore-di-sigarette]

"Coloro che dimenticano il passato sono condannati a riviverlo."

George Santayana

[quotelr]

We need sometimes to escape into open solitudes, into aimlessness, into the moral holiday of running some pure hazard in order to sharpen the edge of life, to taste hardship, and to be compelled to work desperately for a moment at no matter what.

George Santayana

[carolyn-magazine]

This is a letter I wrote to my Secretary of State in regard to the disqualification of Donald J. Trump, and any others, from holding public office, per the United States Constitution, Amendment 14, Section 3.

[Disclaimer: this letter has been altered by me to remove the name of this state's Secretary of State in case anyone else would like to copy and send it to their Secretary of State or Lieutenant Governor. [Note: In Some States the Lieutenant Governor also serves as the Secretary of State and/or Chief Election Officer]

Dear Secretary of State [insert name] ,

In addition to serving as Secretary of State of [insert state], you also serve as Chief Election Officer. As a proud resident of [insert state], I am aware that you stand by the wisdom of The United States Constitution, as we all should. I implore you to please read, and take into serious consideration, the below information.

I am writing to your offices urging a formal review of whether Donald J. Trump, and any others, are barred from the ballot in this state by way of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. That Amendment disqualifies from the ballot any person who “shall have engaged” in an “insurrection.”

For such a disqualification, there is no requirement that Trump or any person be first convicted of any crime - as the Congressional Research Service notes.

Additionally, last year after a trial in New Mexico, a judge ruled that Jan. 6 was an “insurrection” within the meaning of the 14th Amendment and that Otero County Commissioner Cuoy Griffin was removed from office and disqualified from the ballot for “engaging” in that attack. Mr. Griffin is also prohibited from ever holding an elected position in the state of New Mexico.

Donald Trump’s actions - as detailed in the final report of the “Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack” - far exceed the actions of Griffin in terms of “engaging” in the Jan. 6 insurrection. While that New Mexico ruling is not binding in this or any other state, it is persuasive in its reasoning, and I urge your offices to read it.

Recently, conservative legal scholars (former Federal Judge on the Court of Appeals 4th circuit, J. Michael Luttig, and Professor Emeritus at Harvard Law School, who taught Constitutional Law at Harvard for nearly five decades, Laurence Tribe) have recently penned articles reaching the conclusion that given Trump’s conduct, the US Constitution does in fact bar Trump from the ballot.

Article VI of The United States Constitution reads, "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any state to the Contrary notwithstanding."

Amendment 14, Section 3 of The United States Constitution reads, "No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability."

As Americans, we should always take the Constitution seriously, and most people do, including Donald Trump, as we've witnessed him repeatedly standing by the 1st and 5th amendments.

We can't pick and choose which amendments are legally binding because each one is considered part of the supreme law of the land, as stated above in Article VI of The Constitution.

The time is now to review if Trump, or anyone for that matter, has done just that, and is barred from the ballot - well before the 2024 election.

George Santayana once famously wrote, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." 

We must learn from History and there is a reason why Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was written into The Constitution - as a way to prevent our democracy from being destroyed.

Thank you for considering this issue that is vitally important to protecting our Republic.

Sincerely,

[insert your name here]

References

https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/senate-and-constitution/constitution.htm

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/08/donald-trump-constitutionally-prohibited-presidency/675048/

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:d5f3903a-9ef1-413d-8b62-d42d1e8f44a5

https://nmpoliticalreport.com/2022/09/06/nm-judge-orders-couy-griffin-to-be-removed-from-otero-county-commission-bars-him-from-holding-any-office-in-the-future/

https://www.c-span.org/video/?507774-1/president-trump-video-statement-capitol-protesters

https://iep.utm.edu/santayan/

https://youtu.be/5Aaqz4qiQYM?si=ls1xrwNcKcFZrVMd

[ballumville]

'The family is one of nature's masterpieces.' 💕- George Santayana

[twicedailyquotes]

Only the dead have seen the end of war.

George Santayana

[youngbloodoldsoul]

[quotes-by-dilanka]

Scepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and it is shameful to surrender it too soon or to the first comer: there is nobility in preserving it coolly and proudly through long youth, until at last, in the ripeness of instinct and discretion, it can be safely exchanged for fidelity and happiness.

—George Santayana