George Washington, whose birthday we celebrate today, told us more than 200 years ago how we can restore America, not only politically but culturally.
Presidents and federal officials come and go, but the American people remain. If we do not value our own liberty and rights, then naturally, they will be stolen from us by ambitious tyrants. If we want this country truly to be renewed, to be imbued once more with a spirit of patriotism, independence, and individual responsibility, then we have to do more than just vote a new administration into office.
In his Farewell Address upon voluntarily resigning from executive office, Washington gave Americans much excellent advice, which, unfortunately, we have not always followed. One of his adjurations in particular, however, gives us the key to reforming this country, a mighty task in which each of us must play his part. “And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion,” Washington warned.
“Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle,” he added. It is no wonder that Americans increasingly are unpatriotic, immoral, selfish, entitled, and lacking respect for individual human life, when we are also an increasingly irreligious country. There are now ever fewer devout Jews and Christians in America, the land founded on Judeo-Christian principles.
Related: George Washington, Our Greatest Leader
George Washington, known for humility and unity, avoided celebrating his birthday, yet his legacy lives on. His Farewell Address urged unity, and his fight for religious liberty still resonates today. pic.twitter.com/w5XkVJQN49
— EWTN News Nightly (@EWTNNewsNightly) February 18, 2025
Related to this is the increasing moral confusion in American society. Now, even many conservatives are approving of abortion, homosexuality, promiscuity, and other perversions or evils that quickly corrupt a nation — and devalue human life, making freedom a bestowed privilege instead of a right. We cannot be free if we are not moral.
As Washington said, “It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. The rule, indeed, extends with more or less force to every species of free government. Who that is a sincere friend to it can look with indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric?“
Washington #WednesdayWisdom from his Farewell Address to the People of the United States on Monday, September 19, 1796 pic.twitter.com/amxvLaUpXF
— Mount Vernon (@MountVernon) January 24, 2018
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Who indeed? Voting the Trump administration into office was an excellent start, but we still have to do the hard daily work of educating our fellow citizens (especially youth), exposing corruption, holding elected officials accountable, passing on patriotism to others, getting involved in charitable work, and more. As Washington would still advise us today, “Promote then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge.”
We have a country to save.
