- The opulence of palaces contrasts greatly with the elegant simplicity of the White House.
- Separation of Church and State is an important tenet of our constitution.
At every European city on our itinerary, we toured elaborate palaces built hundreds of years ago by rulers of the various countries. Many of these long-dead kings or queens built, not just one but several, to accommodate their whims. Most wanted to show rulers of other countries how successful they were. Ego was behind many of the building projects.
It was fun to tour these grand palaces and it is always interesting to see opulence. I imagined fancy dinners and elegantly dressed couples swirling around on the dance floors of lavish ballrooms.
Almost immediately, however, my thoughts went to the peasants of those countries, many who were living in poverty or starvation. The contrast was sickening.
It made me proud of our White House. It is very elegant, yet rather simple and small in comparison. Early in our country's history, some people wanted to make George Washington king. He would hear nothing of it. In fact, that is precisely what our founding citizens fought so hard to avoid: rule by a king or queen.
Washington selected the site for the presidential home but he never got to live there. President John Adams was the first to occupy it. Throughout the years it's been called:
- The Presidential Palace
- The President's House
- The Executive Mansion
- The White House - named that by one of the Roosevelts
A presidential home and office should be impressive. But I am proud it is not over-the-top elegance like some of the palaces I toured on my trip. The simplicity makes me proud that America is a country for all its citizens--not just the wealthy.
Next Blog Post: The Separation of Church and State.
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