Do You Know the Preamble for Your state?

The following crossed my desk and I found it extremely interesting. It devolves the discussion of Divinity and its role in government. Here you have an opportunity to discover whom the founders of your state relied upon for guidance.

Alabama 1901, Preamble We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution. . .

Alaska 1956, Preamble We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land.

Arizona 1911, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution. . .

Arkansas 1874, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government. . .

California 1879, Preamble We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom. . .

Colorado 1876, Preamble We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe . . .

Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy.

Delaware 1897, Preamble Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences.

Florida 1885, Preamble We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution. . .

Georgia 1777, Preamble We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution. . .

Hawaii 1959, Preamble We, the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance ... Establish this Constitution.

Idaho 1889, Preamble We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings

Illinois 1870, Preamble We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.

Indiana 1851, Preamble We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government.

Iowa 1857, Preamble We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings, establish this Constitution.

Kansas 1859, Preamble We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution.

Kentucky 1891, Preamble. We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties. . .

Louisiana 1921, Preamble We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy.

Maine 1820, Preamble We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity .. And imploring His aid and direction.

Maryland 1776, Preamble We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty. . .

Massachusetts 1780, Preamble We...the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe In the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction.

Michigan 1908, Preamble We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom establish this Constitution.

Minnesota, 1857, Preamble We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:

Mississippi 1890, Preamble We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work.

Missouri 1845, Preamble We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness. Establish this Constitution. . .

Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution. . .

Nebraska 1875, Preamble We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom. Establish this Constitution.

Nevada 1864, Preamble We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, establish this Constitution. . .

New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.

New Jersey 1844, Preamble We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.

New Mexico 1911, Preamble We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty. . .

New York 1846, Preamble We, the people of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings.

North Carolina 1868, Preamble We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those. . .

North Dakota 1889, Preamble We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain.. . .

Ohio 1852, Preamble We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common.

Oklahoma 1907, Preamble Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty, establish this

Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I Section 2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences

Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance. . .

Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing. . .

South Carolina, 1778, Preamble We, the people of he State of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

South Dakota 1889, Preamble We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties. . .

Tennessee 1796, Art. XI.III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience. . .

Texas 1845, Preamble We the People of the Republic of Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God

Utah 1896, Preamble Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution.

Vermont 1777, Preamble Whereas all government ought to enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man.

Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other

Washington 1889, Preamble We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution

West Virginia 1872, Preamble Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God. . .

Wisconsin 1848, Preamble We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility. . .

Wyoming 1890, Preamble We, the people of the State of Wyoming , grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties, establish this Constitution

After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe the ACLU and the out-of-control federal courts are wrong! If you found this to be 'Food for thought' copy and send to as many as you think will be enlightened as I hope you were.

(Please note that at no time is anyone told that they MUST worship God.)

'Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants.' - William Penn

One wonders if the ACLU has ever bothered to read any of these. Merry Christmas!


In His abiding love,


Cecil Moon

Oxy “morons”

The comedian, George Carlin, made oxymoron a household word. We all remember “giant-shrimp,” “military-intelligence,” and others which demonstrated a contradiction within a term. It is my firm belief that we should add “sophisticated New Yorkers” to the list. Don’t get me wrong; of the many trips I have made to the city, I have seen much kindness, consideration and outright friendliness on the part of the inhabitants. I have also seen some attributes which were not understandable to my mid-western mind set.

Perhaps the hardest to deal with is the attitude that the world revolves around New York City. When you believe you are the center of the universe when in fact you probably haven’t been farther than Jersey City in your perusal of the balance of the planet, it’s hard to take you seriously. On one trip I made the acquaintance of a life long resident whose closest encounter with the Statue of Liberty was from the Staten Island Ferry on a singular trip to visit his aunt. He learned its significance and history from me.

There is a general belief that being the financial capital of the world, there is an understanding of that complicated discipline which is impossible to acquire unless you actually live in the city. The ins and outs of the market, the complicated real estate exchanges, the corporate structures, arbitrage, futures markets and rest are well beyond the ken of rubes from the other 49 states, let alone the rest of the world. Although never actually stated, I have long felt that any question regarding markets would be met with the response, “you wouldn’t understand, it has to do with finance.”

You can only imagine the delight I took in reading this story from the New York Daily News. You have to read it to believe it. They stole the Empire State Building! They took bogus documents, a thirty-five dollar notary stamp, and transferred the property to Nelots Properties LLC. Nelots is “stolen” spelled backward.

Do read this piece because it is a priceless prank which demonstrates that not everything in NYC is as sophisticated as the denizens would have you believe.

Yes, after they made their point, they did give the building back.


In His abiding love,


Cecil Moon

Are we smart enough to be citizens?

We have available on this site this morning, the USCIS test which is administered to prospective new citizens. It consists of 100 questions about American civics and history. The requirements to pass the test are ridiculously low. For example: naming three of the thirteen original colonies earns a passing grade on that question. If, however, you are unfamiliar with our distinguished history and civics, the low bar seems fair. After all, these folks did not have the advantage of a stellar education in America’s public schools.

The answers are given immediately after the questions so if you choose to read through the test you will gently be reminded of the facts. The test, in actuality, is given orally so the student is not challenged to have mastery of the English language. It is even printed in several other languages, popular among emigrants.

As I read through, it came to mind that the same test might be fairly administered to those persons who claim to be prepared to vote in our elections. I can only wish it were possible to see the results of American voting citizens vs. newcomers to the United States. Check out the test and then we’ll discuss it further.

In daily conversations I am reminded of how hopelessly illiterate we are about our history and matters constitutional. Absent capable civic minded instructors, many of these could be countered by “dinner table” learning. Do people still eat together?

Those who operate as “families” are far more likely to have serious discussions of issues than those who simply “roost” in the family home. I am referring here to those who sleep, sometimes eat, tend to personal hygiene, and use their homes for personal storage of goods and chattels. Family interchange is for them not the most important priority. Do we actually discuss matters of current interest? Was election talk “off limits?” Is faith a topic of conversation? Since they are all inter-related, do we seek their relationship?

Although I wish the standards were higher, I applaud the test and welcome those who can pass it and wish them well as new citizens. Given our history, we need to encourage the best and the brightest to come join us and share this marvelous country and its opportunities. I shall reserve my criticism to those who are natural born persons who have little knowledge of the gift of their birth here. To have the best the world has to offer and still not understand it is unconscionable.


In His abiding love,


Cecil Moon

Monday Morning Rant 66

There is a special sadness to be seen in what Mark Steyn calls the “upside down” family tree. It is a fairly recent phenomenon caused by a declining birthrate, abetted by free abortion tolerance, in the “free” world. In essence, it is caused by having four grandparents, two parents and one child as the survivor with the family name. Having witnessed this firsthand as the lone survivor, I rejoice in the reverse effect in my own experience by having now, twenty grandchildren. May God bless my children and their willingness to procreate. Now our family tree more closely resembles an hourglass.

Other societies are not so fortunate. Japan, Russia, Spain and other stable “democratic” countries have experienced severe declines in their live birth rate. Some have even taken the matter public to encourage the increase in their population by natural means. A recent study in Japan of couples under 50 revealed a near total disinterest in the activities which would reverse the trends in the downward spiraling birth cycles.

Spain, nearly universally Catholic has had similar problems, augmented by the convenience and availability of abortion. Nearly a fifth of all pregnancies (18%) now end in abortion with the number climbing to 31% for second time pregnancies. They still have a credible rate compared to Russia which reports termination of all fetuses at nearly two thirds. Although I am presenting an abundance of percentages it would be well to not think in those terms but rather envision these precious lives being so cavalierly tossed aside. Each one is a gift from our Creator to people the earth and work to His glory.

We have absolutely no control over the doings of other nations and we should not. We do have a voice in our own destiny, however, and we need to be constantly alert to the ever increasing legislation and court decisions affecting our own. Not only is the practice a direct affront to God Almighty it is also damaging to our nation and its prospects for the future.

Is God great, or what?

I made a night time trip to Monett Saturday night to get a replacement battery for one of the cars. The critters were out in the cold drizzling rain in grand abundance. It was the usual suspects: coons, cats, opossums, 1 fox, 1 deer, and a couple who were quick enough to remain unidentified. They all had one very important feature in common. Each came equipped with brilliant reflective eyes. The size and color of the reflections varied but each had a very visible identifier.

As a result, I was able to avoid contact and will now continue to enjoy them on the next trip. I find it amazing that God in his design wisdom anticipated the headlights on our fast moving cars and equipped his creatures with such a marvelous warning device. I never cease to marvel at the preparations he built into all creatures to exist and thrive in the world He made.

More problems for Charlie Rangel

It appears that Rep. Charles Rangel of New York has accumulating problems which are about to reach the tipping point. It is well past time for some action to be taken.

His previous infractions were on personal income tax issues and abuse of valuable parking space in an official parking place. While these are inappropriate for a committee chairman they didn’t rise to the level of dismissal. The latest is another matter. It appears he has become involved in granting a favor to an oil company in exchange for support of a pet project to the tune of about a million bucks. To read the whole story, click here.

Mrs. Pelosi doesn’t seem the least concerned about any of it. Apparently this is business as usual in the House she controls and she has nary a discouraging word. While we taxpayers are being played for chumps, this scofflaw continues to rake it in and mis-report the income.

Corporate greed?

The most popular game in the media and among politicians is to attack the pay structure of corporate executives. Do they actually dominate the list of top money earners in the country; how about an untried professional who has just been picked in one of sport’s annual drafts? A fresh college graduate with the ink still wet on his degree, with appropriate skills can demand multi-year contracts in the neighborhood of $50 million dollars as the top pick for various individual teams. Player after player has received annual contracts over eight (8) figures. These are men and women who have never scored a point for any professional team in their lives.

I checked out the list of Hollywood couples and came up with a list of the top earners. Try these on for size: Beyonce Knowles/Jay Z--$162,000,000, Will Smith/Juda Pinkett Smith--$160,000,000, and David Beckham/Victoria--$58,000,000. I realize I am well behind the entertainment curve, but I have only heard of one of those six. I am more than willing to concede they are all probably very talented and likely very nice people. The question remains however, because of their kingly earnings need we accuse them of greed?

If we visit some TV personalities we find Oprah, the queen, at $385,000,000 annually, American Idol’s Simon Cowell at $45 million, Judge Judy at $30 million and Katie Couric at $15 million. For those who are on weekly shows we find they are paid by the episode with CSI’s William Petersen leading with $500,000 per, Charlie Sheen at $350,000 and seven others paid in excess of $200,000 each. Not bad for somebody reading someone else’s lines.

So, what do our executives actually earn? We came up with an average of $5,781,300 for the three hundred top executives in the country. The list was led by the little known Lawrence Coss of Green Tree financial at just over $100 million. Seems like a lot of money doesn’t it? Before you break out the torches and pitchforks I would suggest you take a look at how these pay packages are computed. There is a nominal (?) basic salary and then the perks begin. Some are minor; health insurance, pension, company plane etc. The big item is the stock options and outright inclusion. This ownership symbol is a serious driver for the executive to achieve ever greater wealth for the company inasmuch as he now has a vested interest in its performance. Given the current condition of the stock market is anyone crying crocodile tears for these folks and the equity depreciation they have no doubt suffered? A rising tide lifts all boats and we might point out an ebb tide also lowers all boats—including yachts of the rich. On average, a million dollars worth of stock is now worth only $600,000, and possibly even much less. If the exec's company has managed to maintain a higher equity I would suggest he is a worthy recipient.

If you are a politician wishing to taint an industry with an eye toward additional taxation and control, the executive salary is a great reference point. If you are a biased media source you will be equally anxious to continue the fiction. Heavens to Betsy, people, you don’t want them to attack Oprah do you?

Final thoughts

The snow was gently falling on Sunday night. Fortunately, I bought another twenty pounds of bird seed for the aviary. We shall now see how well the Jays do picking seeds from the snow covered ground.

I felt safe enough to believe that my little spat with coughing and general congestion was no longer contagious and went to Miami to share with the Saints. It was, as usual, uplifting and an experience I was delighted to share with about a dozen little kids. I am always pleased to see so many youngsters. Most congregations I see have an abundance of oldsters so it was a pleasant change. I am certain that God sees this as a plus as well. Robert Miller of Maple Grove delivered the message and we took our fellowship to dinner with us. I do like that better than just singing the last hymn and bolting for the door. My prayer is that you had a worshipful experience as well.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon