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Presidents Day Is a Time to Honor All Those Who Have Served As Commander-in-Chief

Feb. 18, 2013 10:00am

Raj Nair is a host and correspondent on TheBlaze TV. Watch him on Liberty Treehouse weekdays at 3:00pm EST. Raj can be reached at rnair@theblaze.com.

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Presidents Day Is a Time to Honor All Those Who Have Served As Commander in Chief

The President’s Desk in the Oval Office (AP)

Who is John Tyler? Chester Arthur? Zachary Taylor? How about Franklin Pierce? A good guess would be perhaps the members of some British rock band from the 60’s. I would venture most people would have no idea that all four of them were once the President of the United States of America. Sure we all know plenty about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and, yes, obviously, Barack Obama. However, on this President’s Day why not show a little love to the lesser-known Commanders-in-chief?

If you’re like me, and have spent some quality time in Ohio, you know a lot of the more obscure presidents simply because there are famous football high schools named after them: James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and Warren G. Harding. But did you know that the term “Founding Fathers” was first used by Harding in 1916? And were you aware that during the presidency of McKinley, the United States obtained the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam? Nearly 75 years before the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Garfield was a fervent supporter of civil rights for African Americans. He even appointed Frederick Douglass to a position in his government.

The names John F. Kennedy, Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan are familiar and comfortable. But have you ever really thought about the fact that there are people in America today who were around when the President of the United States was named John Calvin Coolidge, Jr.?

President Obama and former President Bush at White House this past May (AP)

You know your brain is lovin’ this, which means you simply can’t miss another episode of LIBERTY TREEHOUSE at 3pmEST on TheBlaze TV. However, since right now you and I are here together, let me rattle off some more love for our less remembered leaders.

It was during the Presidency of Benjamin Harrison that electricity was installed in the White House.

How awesome is the Walt Disney World Resort? Where are you going with this one Raj? Well, we all have President James Monroe to thank for purchasing the state of Florida from Spain in 1819.

Presidential Seal (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Did you know that the general who fought against Tecumseh at the Battle of Tippecanoe, William Henry Harrison, was the President of the United States for 32 days?

Appreciating the exciting and famous periods of this country isn’t any more important than understanding the historical context that led to them. So as you celebrate President’s Day, make a toast to Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Stephen Grover Cleveland and William Howard Taft. I don’t see Steven Spielberg making a film called “Van Buren” any time soon, so you will have to champion the forgotten POTUS this holiday.

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Comments (7)

Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on February 19, 2013 at 3:18pm
Ultimately obama will be remembered as nothing more than an alisnky radical who’s only qualification was ‘the race card’. He is on the wrong side of history, as are all his cohorts. So much for the shameless egomaniacal shills who count on writing the history books.

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tonypro
Posted on February 19, 2013 at 2:33am
“” Presidents Day Is a Time to Honor All Those Who Have Served As Commander-in-Chief “”

Ain’t happening…commy woodrow wilson, peanut head carter, the bushes, barry insane ocommie, just to name the ones on the top of my head DO NOT DESERVE being honored.

Honor is earned, it’s like respect, you give none–you get none.

I will however show much honor to anyone that brings charges against these treasonous criminals currently destroying our country

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Zeke48
Posted on February 18, 2013 at 9:20pm
Well I guess this leaves Ovomit out.

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a1776patriot
Posted on February 18, 2013 at 6:24pm
I’m sorry I have to disagree with the timing of this great piece. Raj, Liberty Treehouse and TheBlaze have missed an excellent opportunity to help restore the culture and actually celebrate what today’s federal holiday is actually celebrating.

You see, the third Monday of February is observed and celebrated as George Washington’s Birthday.

Today is not supposed to be about all U.S. Presidents. I know that the mainstream culture has now defined today as President’s Day (or Presidents Day – no one is really sure), but all that does is diminish the respect the George Washington has earned for his unmatched contributions and sacrifices for the founding of this great country.

I wish Raj would have used today to help destroy the myth that today is a day to remember all U.S. Presidents. Remember, this nation is one of The People, not a King or Dictator. Treating this day as one to celebrate a public-servant – even one as powerful and ultimate as President of The United States – is not American. We do not celebrate Government, we celebrate incredible people and individuals.

What would be the response if Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s Birthday started to be referred to as Civil Rights Leaders Day?

I refer you to the actual U.S. Code in which the third Monday of February is honored as Washington’s Birthday. http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/#url=2013

Enjoy the day and spread the word!

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- KP74
  Posted on February 19, 2013 at 1:54pm
  Citation is for 5 USC 1203(a), George Washington’s Birthday Holiday.
  
  As for Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday, the holiday in Virginia is “Confederate Heroes’ Day and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday” (Rober E. Lee born on 19 Jan and Stonewall Jackson born on 21 Jan).
  
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- Begbie
  Posted on February 20, 2013 at 2:10pm
  Well done. I agree we should not celebrate public servants in this way, rather we should continue the tradition of naming the Navy’s mighty capitol ships after our presidents. For in this way, their namesake continues to serve the people.
  
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Nanny
Posted on February 18, 2013 at 1:41pm
Thank you Raj, for making us more aware of the lesser known Presidents.

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