Aspiring to and achieving greatness

Letter to the Editor:

How is it that the Doctors or Prof's of "Academia," nor our Religious Doctors of Divinity, haven't told us from whence "Academia" came? Huh!

In the "Apology" of Socrates, young Plato is mentioned, at approximately 480 B.C., the time of the tyrants—, Plato was an athlete in the first Olympics, the Greek National Guard—practicing killing the enemy by javelin, shot-put, discus, jumping and running. He was a sweaty soldier, who at the age of 34 —not able to run or jump—opened "his Academy," not having a diploma or degree from any school. What? Yes, none existed then. He just did it.

Though I see his "Republic" as blatant socialism/communisim—nonsense—that too many government's —state and federal—are trying to prove valid—example: 2+2=5? It just doesn't work! Hitlers National Socialism—Nazi—; Mary and Lenin's communism were a product of Plato's "Republic," as was Mussolini's Fascism a product of Aristotle's teaching—he who tutored Alex The Great. All of those "Rode" the "Horses" of socialism/communism/fascism" to slavery, war, famine and death.

Have we cast off these false teachers from "Academia" today?

Those, at high school and/or college commencements; who wore a red, purple or blue sash across his chest, while handing out diplomas or degrees were, today and the past 700 years, merely aping the Roman Pope's "Scholastic System" of Academic Achievement." Oh? Have we come all this way "up" or is it "down" the "Road of Centuries" from that middle aged, sweaty Athenian National Guard, un-degreed athlete? Who? Why Plato the author of "The Republic" and who opened "His Academy."

Say now, what of those, who "did it themselves" by personal observation, thought and experimentation, not a few have, that American Spirit; the freedom that led them, men and women, young and old, born or immigrated Americans, to put their individual effort into what was new and useful even when many were saying, "it won't work." "Its no good." or "Give it up!"

Here below I've listed just a few who persevered. All to our good.

George Washington Carver - Peanuts

Chuck Yaeger - broke the sound barrier

Luther Burbank- Burbank potatoes

The Wright Bros. - flew at Kitty Hawk

Ben Franklin - Post office - science

Ellen G. White - 1884 Great Controversy

Kit Carson - led the way West

Albert Einstien E=MC2

Admiral Hymen Rickover - atomic sub

Nicola Tesla - AC current world wide

Charles Lindberg - first to fly the Atlantic

Charles Goodyear - vulcanizing rubber

Mark Twain - Tom Sawyer & Huck Finn

Jim Thorpe - greatest athlete

Abe Lincoln - lawyer, president

Paul Revere - midnight ride

Henry Ford - Model T and the production line.

These are just a very few who led the way in America. Add yourself to the list.

Freeman Johnson

Troy