Happy Independence Day weekend!

 

The United States of America has a unique and longstanding tradition of volunteerism and philanthropy, noted as early as 1831 in Alexis de Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America.”

 

Rotarians, you are part of the unique, civil society that Tocqueville described.

 

Interestingly, Tocqueville and a companion were sent officially to America by the French government to study our prison system. They used official business as a pretext to study American society. Just scratching the surface of their observations, they perceptively anticipated the American Civil War and World War II. Describing the prosperity and growing strength of our country, Tocqueville attributed it mainly to “…the superiority of their women.” His companion Beaumont wrote a second book, a social critique and novel describing the separation of races in a moral society and the conditions of slaves in the United States. Tocqueville believed that Beaumont’s study would prove to be the more comprehensive and penetrating book. As recently as 2000, a  Harvard professor has described “Democracy in America” as “…at once the best book ever written on democracy and the best book ever written on America.”

 

Our problems are not new. And, I believe, The Rotary Club of Omaha, founded August 14, 1911, is a very important component of the civil society of America that binds us together. A better America starts with me becoming a better Rotarian. I am proud to represent you. See you on July 8^th.

 

Let freedom ring.