“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world... And you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”
- President Woodrow Wilson
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| Beautiful Rendition of Downtown Paterson posted by one of my colleagues on Facebook |
When America finally knocked off the
British and officially won the Revolutionary War, it was all downhill from
there, right? We just became America and took off to become the dominant
superpower that we all know today. Right?
Wrong.
After the American Revolution, America
was nothing but a bunch of divided states that could not get along, and despite
beating the British in battle, we were still completely dependent on Great
Britain (and the French) because we did not have the ability to produce our own
goods on the scale of other nations.
Yet.
Enter the founding fathers once again
to save the day. Covering it all could take pages to explain so for the
sake of brevity, our founding fathers recognized the flaws of the Articles of
Confederation, called for a change to our newly formed government, worked
tirelessly together during hot, summer days in Philadelphia, and
the Constitution of the United States of America as we know it today, was
born. This was one of the major turning points in our history but the
Constitution in no way could guarantee that we would become the most powerful,
yet well-intentioned nation that world history had ever seen.
Enter Paterson, NJ.
When Alexander Hamilton, George
Washington, and the Marquis de Lafayette sat down one day during the
Revolutionary War, who would have thought that this random picnic during a
break in battle, would end up as the catalyst for America becoming the most
innovative and revolutionary modern economy that history could ever
imagine? Mr. Hamilton did.
When he became our nation’s first
Secretary of Treasury, Hamilton did what he does best so that he could give his
greatest effort to his duties. He studied long and hard about economics
and strategies to build economies and then of course, he began writing once
again. The document that would result from this Hamilton-cram would be
called the Report
on Manufactures. Essentially, Hamilton would argue that to gain true
independence from Great Britain, we had to develop our own manufacturing base
thus enabling us to become a self-sustaining nation. He then argued that
the land that possessed this 77 ft. powerful waterfall would be the ideal place
to begin that production.
Hamilton realized that the power of
the Great Falls could likely be harnessed to produce energy that would power
factories and renewable energy in America could be revolutionized.
So we would decide to craft a plan to
divert the water from the Falls and power turbines in factories all over the
surrounding Great Falls area. The plan was not executed perfectly early on but
when everything did finally come together, the results were exactly as Hamilton
envisioned.
The accomplishments of innovation that
occurred in the city during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries were as
follows:
Ø When America needed to
connect its east and west coasts by way of transcontinental railroad, Paterson
at one point would be responsible for producing around 80% of the locomotives
built in the nation.
Ø When Charles Lindbergh
would attempt to fly across the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in world
history, the engine that powered his plane all the way across the world was
built right here in Paterson.
Ø During WWII, Paterson was
also responsible for a great deal of engine innovation when the Whirlwind and
Cyclone engines were built.
Ø First to manufacture
continuous sheet paper.
Ø The first working submarine
along with others, were made and tested by John P. Holland here in Paterson.
Ø The Colt Gun Mill saw the
birth of the Colt Revolver and other innovative weapons.
Ø Major cotton and textile
producer.
Ø If you ever heard the term
‘Silk City’, that was Paterson, the largest producer of silk in the world.
Ø The Barbour Flax Thread Works
would become one of the nations largest producers of linen.
Ø The Dolphin Jute Mill would
convert hemp and jute into twine and carpets.
Ø Ivanhoe Paper Manufacturing
Company was one of the most complete paper production operations in the entire
world.
Ø
Paterson was a major catalyst of the labor movements that took place to
ensure safer work environments and fair pay for all those who enter the
workforce today.
Ø Last but not least, in the
early 20th century, Paterson would harness the power of the Falls
and create a hydroelectric plant that still powers over 11,000 homes today.
There’s probably infinitely more
details that I could cover on this topic but suffice it to say that this
embodies everything that America was meant to be. We re-used energy from
a non-polluting natural resource in a highly efficient manner in order to
produce innovative and world changing operations that propelled the world into
the 21st century. (and the world discovered oil too shortly after, obviously that helped but still...) We were a
model for cities all over the newly born United States of America and showed
everyone just how creative, effective, and wealthy we can be.
Unfortunately, we have lost our way a
bit as a nation. I need not go into the details. We all know the
state of our nation at the moment.
But now it is time we return to our
roots as best we can. By rallying around Paterson at this point in
history and promoting the very ideas that enabled this city to propel the
nation to economic prestige like the world had never seen before, we can begin
back on our path to reclaim that prestige. We can show the entire world
once more, the amazing ability of the American people to come together and make
positive world-changing ideas come to fruition.
We just need to
aim high, give it our best effort, and most importantly, we have to work together. As a unified country. I full well understand the need for political parties, but there's no doubt that sometimes we have remove ourselves back from the trenches and remember that we are all Americans first. George Washington, the most neutral and well intentioned President that I've personally read about, was correct when he (and his pen Mr. Hamilton) said in his farewell address:
"I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.
This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.
The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.
Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it."
I'm not saying we must ditch the parties, you politicians would hate me. I don't want that.
I am saying that it is seriously time we make a more conscience effort to place greater value on being Americans first.. Before party.
We are all Americans first and we've already proven that when we come together, no other country in the world can match our ability to step up and rise to the challenge, no matter the obstacle.
We will pull this off as a nation..
Envision a 21st century that may truly begin transforming not
just the city of Paterson and not just the United States of America, but
instead, believe this cause, right here and right now in this moment, will
usher in a totally new and positive world focused on working together to
accomplish great things.
The violence and suffering we wish to
eradicate won’t disappear overnight, but if we start working together right
now, believe with 100% conviction, that there will be no limit to what the
human race will be able to accomplish.
We can start the model here in Paterson, work together and make sure it gets done, and then we can replicate Paterson’s success in other communities nation-wide and show just how much really is possible when we work together toward a common goal.
Lets join together now and never look
back... We can and will make this happen........
Together
(had to put one more bolded one in there to knock the point home)
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