06 Jul Day 13 #Summer113

Posted at 14:04h in Summer 113 by Josh Oryhon 0 Comments
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129 photos from Day 13 of our 113th summer

An excerpt from Co-Site Director Cannie Shafer’s address…
Today, I want to persuade you all, my young and visionary friends out there, that as the next generation, I must pass my torch to you. You will be the activists and revolutionaries and also the leaders who must incite needed change and who will need to make the tough choices. We could consider today that our nation – while free from Great Britain – may still be considered to be bound. Bound by terror and violence in our streets, bound by hatred in the hearts of some, and bound by division about important issues across the land. It makes us need to answer the question: what would those patriots think of the fact people coming to this country for a better life could be separated from their children and family? What would they think about school shootings and gun violence? What would they think about the effects of global warming or fair trade war? What would they think about the fact that 242 years later we are still fighting over the belief that ALL people people are created equal, and what are “inalienable rights?” How can we still struggle to see the person beside us who may have a different skin color, a different political opinion, two parents of the same gender (and the list goes on) …as our equal?

[…]

We should make a promise to ourselves to engage in genuine conversation and to be more understanding – not just “tolerant” – of the people who are different than ourselves. That is the high bar of ideals and expectations that we must support. As time moves on, all doctrines and institutions must be able to replicate themselves and remain meaningful to each succeeding generation – they must be worthy to protect and to defend. For those who came before us in this country, we want to preserve those inalienable rights that should be guaranteed to all free peoples. I appreciate the opportunity to address you all today and remind you that each of you are powerful here as members of Susquehannock. We too live by a special mission and ideals that expect a certain way to treat all people. We learn it, we practice it, we execute it here and we leave here (always to return whether physically or simply in our minds), knowing and understanding how we must conduct ourselves outside in the real world and that we will always help the greater good.