Our first president got it right

Dear Readers,

I have been listening to and reading a new release by John Avlon entitled  Washington's Farewell: The Founding Father's Warning to Future Generations.

It is an especially appropriate read in these turbulent times. To be learning of President Washington's warnings about partisanship and the dangers of factions, and of his deep commitment to moderation and compromise, brings a special sense of cognitive dissonance, since we have spent the first week of President Trump's administration watching the 45th President act in ways that would be totally repugnant to our first. 

To wit, here is the first president on religious tolerance, in an address to a Jewish congregation in 1790:

Ask yourselves, are we living up to Washington's ideals? Is our new government giving no sanction to bigotry and no assistance to persecution based on religious faith? 

Readers, I think we all know the answer to that.

Keep standing up for what's right.

Gloria/BookishMarginalia

PS if you want to access the primary sources related to this quote, please go to: https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm006.html