You can read about Lucy's adventures in Washington D.C. (which include a run in with the Capitol police) last year here.
This was Jonathan's first time attending a YAF conference and he was excited about a few things:
A weekend (without parental units) in Santa Barbara. (Win!)
Getting to visit the Reagan Ranch. (Major Win!)
Meeting John Barletta. (Epic Win!)
I know you're wondering, "Who is John Barletta and why was Jonathan so excited about meeting him?"
John Barletta happens to be the longest-serving Secret Service agent under President Reagan. So cool, right? His book, Riding with Reagan shares what it was like to ride (horses!) every day with Ron and Nancy Reagan at the magical Rancho del Cielo, better known as the Reagan Ranch, in the Santa Ynez Mountains.
Jon had just finished reading John Barletta's book. An excellent read, by the way. It's a wonderful and intimate glimpse of Ronald Reagan as just a man who loved horses and a simple life. (Here's the Amazon link.) And he grew to admire the author.
Eric and I had read the book after visiting the Ranch a couple of years ago and so we enjoyed lots of dinner conversations relating John Barletta's wonderful anecdotes concerning his time serving as Ronald Reagan's friend and protector.
So Jon was super pumped about meeting John Barletta.
See the look on Jonathan's face that says, "This guy RODE WITH RONALD REAGAN! He's a total Rock Star!"
My Jon with John Barletta.
I'm so glad Jonathan was able to meet one of his heroes.
Lest you begin thinking that because he's been homeschooled his entire life, that perhaps my son is not a typical teenager, let me just also point out that his other heroes include Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton...
...but that's not important right now. ;-)
"All great change in America begins at the dinner table." ~Ronald Reagan
Next week marks the anniversary of the death of mass-murderer Che Guevara.
Many of us have had more than our share of run-ins with ignorant hipsters sporting t-shirts and messenger bags with the idealized image of the "revolutionary poster boy." Like most Cubans, I'm not shy about offering the truth of who Che was and why their t-shirt is not cool.
Sometimes, as most Cubans can attest to, it's an exhausting uphill battle. You almost have to start from scratch and explain the historical truth about Cuba and Castro and that murderous rat-bastard Che.
So I was thrilled to receive a call from the Vice-President of Young America's Foundation, Patrick Coyle, asking if I would be willing to get the word out about "No More Che Day 2010."
If you click on this link, Young America's Foundation can provide you with free copies of their "Victims of Che Guevara" poster and other download-able fliers to distribute for No More Che Day.
I would ask that you forward YAF's link through your own blogs and also on Facebook and Twitter.
A big Thank You to YAF for getting it. Let the re-education begin.
Let me be perfectly clear: Yes, we are unapologetic Conservatives.
I won't belabor the point by explaining (yet again!) that my family had to flee our homeland because of the communist takeover. America, founded on Christian principles, is the best place to live on the planet. And along with passing our Christian faith to our kids, we also want to pass on our Conservative values.
So here's Lucy, once again to finish the narrative of her trip, sharing about who she met, what she did, and what she learned. Thanks again to the staff of YAF for all your hard work and for everything you do to pass on the values of freedom to the next generation.
Ramesh Ponnuru, senior editor of National Review and a columnist for Time, gave his speech about diversity, tolerance, empathy, compassion, morality, and the distorted understanding of these terms.
After a quick break, we heard from Tim Goeglein. He analyzed the relationship between culture and politics, ideologies compared to lifestyles, and the importance of family values and morals, especially where politics are concerned. He also encouraged us to follow our vocation. A few deep breaths later, Bay Buchanan took to the podium and, to put it plainly, blew us all away. She was passionate, enthusiastic, and mildly... extreme. She talked about abortion, equal rights, and touched upon the subject of "political correctness." Quite interesting. Indeed, she woke me up (I mean this as truly as it can be meant; I have no shame in admitting that I had been nodding off for the past hour. No offense to the previous speakers.)
- Lunch. It happened. -
Back to the conference...
Kirby Wibur gave us an enlightening message about the presence of faith and the Christian religion in US history, supported by the references that the Founding Fathers included in the Declaration of Independence. He discussed the connection between faith and freedom, the separation of church and state, and virtue going hand in hand with liberty. We received a pocket-sized Constitution. (SCORE!)
After he stepped down, Kate Obenshain commandeered the microphone and explained the three basic things we should remember when discussing politics (or any topic) with our peers: Graciousness, Integrity, and Courage. She encouraged us to be humble and to believe in something bigger than ourselves. Extremely motivational and quite amusing.
And then... 'lo and behold... Jason Mattera walked in the room. The attention of the entire room was now completely fixated on the Editor of Human Events. The focus of his speech included the comparison between the two political parties, the global warming scare, and some delicate (ahem) criticisms of our current President. He talked about the presidential campaign and how effective the media is when it comes to politics.
He signed my book.
There was some time to gather our thoughts and relax before we went downstairs, well-dressed and smelling nice, for the next dinner banquet. After we had eaten, we heard from Steve Moore. I'll tell you right now: economics has never made so much sense. Income tax, revenue, budget, monetary policy, you name it, he explained it in the simplest of terms.
The night was late, I took my laptop downstairs to the lounge to upload photos and chat with you.
Thursday is over.
- - -
Friday, June 25th:
Dr. Burt Folsom Jr. (from Hillsdale College no less. Go figure.) gave us the history lesson of the month. Now, for someone who barely passed US History, I was actually... interested. So odd. Anyhoo, he discussed John D. Rockefeller and the oil industry, along with Cornelius Vanderbilt and Robert Cunningham (and all the steamship nonsense they were involved in at the time). I have his signature in my book. This pleases me.
Brief break, some questions were asked, and we were introduced to Dave Bossie, president of Citizens United and Citizens United Productions. He defined the conservative movement, discussed getting back to core beliefs and talked about how the media has become a very biased outlet for inaccurate information.
Next up was Michelle Easton, founder of the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute. She took her time to discuss role models and encourage the young independent women in the conference to become leaders in their community. Very inspiring and very humble.
After this speaker, we were privileged to enjoy a "girls only" luncheon with Mrs. Easton and a few of her interns, during which we were able to discuss and ask questions about our principles and values as young women.
The lunch was eaten. We trudged back into the conference room (willingly, but still. you get the picture.) and sat down. Donal Blaney took a few minutes to introduce the next guest, Mark Clarke, the Outreach Director for the Young Briton's Foundation. As soon as that man opened his mouth, there was an audible gasp from the young ladies in the room.
Oh. My. Word... he has a British Accent.
I have no shame in admitting that all of us girls were absolutely captivated for the rest of the session. I mean... come on. Don't judge. We were still listening.
Clarke's speech was abundant with amusing anecdotes about the "ridiculous" system of government and healthcare he had in his country, as well as some solemn observations about how frightful the government could really be. He compared the two political parties and posed a question: "When is the state ever the best answer?" He also talked about institutionalized religion and "tolerance."
Dr. Burt Folsom Jr. returned to speak to us about "Big Government Solutions" and gave us yet another history lesson, this time about Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, FDR, Andrew W. Mellon, and Andrew Jackson. His talk covered income tax, consumerism, the redistribution of wealth, federal spending, unemployment rates over history, and so on.
*deep breath*
Soon, the Vice President of Young America's Foundation, Patrick X. Coyle, gave a speech about conservatism on college and high school campuses, and what we could do to create an active presence in our academic community. I scribbled down some shocking points in my notebook.
By this time, we're all getting slightly restless. We began listening at 9am, with some small breaks, and it was now almost 4 o'clock. Patience and focus were waning. But we only had one more speaker left. And they kept us well caffeinated. So that's good.
Last, but definitely not least, was Rebecca Hagelin. Her speech focused on the relationships we develop in our lifetimes, our need for a role model, how we could develop and strengthen our core values, the challenges we would face throughout our lifetimes, and the importance of self-education.
She talked to us about becoming strong-hearted individuals while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This was, I think, one of the most inspiring speeches. I bought her book, which she dedicated to me and my mother. (You're welcome, Mom.)
(I just realized how much I love parenthetical statements.)
I met up with my roomies and we headed back to the room to change into casual clothes. Skirts and blouses are fine, but for 8 hours? Level of Comfort: relatively low and dropping quickly. I felt human again in my jeans.
Thus began our twilight tour of Washington DC. World War II memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial.
Everything's prettier when the sky is pink and there's a nice breeze. On the way up there, the gang in the back discussed the flaws in our system of government, argued among themselves about ethics, and defended the values and views of... you pick.
High School students. Politics. What's wrong with this picture?
Oh, fun times! We sang the National Anthem outside of the Lincoln Memorial. First time: Security guard came around and yelled at us to stop singing.
A student walked up to him and calmly explained that we were well within our 1st Amendment rights to sing a patriotic song in front of the memorial.
The security guard left. We sang it again:
Others joined in and then applauded when we had finished.
If you have been following along, you know that my Lucy has been in Washington, D.C. for the Young America's Foundation conference and that I have not been able to focus on much else.
She is finally home safe, but she enjoyed sending me emails so much (and having them posted on the blog) that she continued writing to me as if she were still 3,000 miles away instead of just upstairs in her room. =D
Here, see for yourself:
----------------------------------
Written at 12:22 (Monday, June 28th)
Wednesday, June 23rd
Little Goose to Mothership (and the blogosphere):
Oh hi. It's been awhile. I'll try to summarize the next 4 days as promptly as I can. So, so much happened. I hope I can remember it all. As you might have guessed, I was too busy to write to you every night (a horrible conundrum, to be sure.) I have been using pictures to replace my words, so at least I can still recall what I saw, who I met, and what I learned.
*opens up iPhoto to review*
Let's see, let's see... Ah yes! Gettysburg! The students who arrived a day early were treated to a special tour of the battlefield. Go figure. Long, beautiful, scenic bus ride to Pennsylvania.
I saw cows, mom. Real cows.
As soon as we stepped off the bus, the humidity slapped us in the face. Repeatedly. Kirby Wilbur was our tour guide. Awesome guy. And he knows his history like nobody's business. Much walking, much listening, much learning, many pictures... back on the bus we go.
We stopped at McDonald's for lunch. It was a comfort to know that even 3,000 miles away from home, one can always find some really fantastic and familiar fries.
Arrived back at the conference center, hot and sweaty. I went back to my room to change for the dinner banquet and-- oh, hello roomies!
Genevieve, from Minnesota. Rachel, from Massachusetts. And Haley, from Kentucky. My close friends (literally) for the next three days. A quick change into something nice (yes, I wore a dress and yes, I wore my hair down.) and we were headed downstairs to the dinner banquet. Formal introductions were announced and we ate.
I realized that Gettysburg makes me hungrier than usual. Put that in the log.
Congressman Jim Jordan, from Ohio, spoke to us about "Defending Freedom in Congress." I forgot to take notes (I know, I know. Shush.) but he was extremely charismatic and I enjoyed listening to him.
That was just the beginning of how much listening I would be doing over the next couple of days.
My Lucy is 3,000 miles away in Chevy Chase, Maryland. She's at a Young America's Foundation conference for high school students and is busy making new friends and learning about the conservative principles that have made this country great.
I'm delighted she's getting this opportunity, but as her mother, well....I'm pretty much focused on "Lucy is 3,000 miles away..."
So I'm posting her emails and photos and sharing her trip here on my blog, because 1) hey...it's my blog and 2) it's difficult for me to focus on much else while she's gone and 3) she's quite the entertaining writer.
Here's part 3....where she arrives in Washington D.C. and starts meeting people....
11:06pm (ending Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010)
Little Goose to Mothership:
Everything became quite hectic as soon as I got off the phone with you. I sat down and waited around for Evan (the guy I was supposed to meet). I took a few pictures and tried to get online to finally send you those e-mails (was interrupted by a poor girl who needed to find out some flight information, but we couldn't get connected. Seriously. Airport wifi fail.)
Then I got a phone call from a number I didn't recognize:
Me: Hello?
Voice: Hi, is this Lucy?
Me: Yes?
Voice: Hi, I'm with the Young America's Foundation.
Me: Oh hello! I'm sitting where I'm supposed to, looking around for you guys...
Voice: Yeah, we just got here and I'm walking towards that area right now...
Me: Uh okay, should I get up? Where am I going?
Voice: No, no, no, you'll see me in a minute. I'm wearing a blue blazer, I'm carrying a little cardboard sign... you should see me pretty soon. What are you wearing?
Me: Uh, brown sweater, jeans rolled up... sitting down. Should I stand up?
Voice: Still walking, looking, loo-- OH I SEE YOU!
Phones were put away and I met Kiana Dunn, an intern at the Young America's foundation. She had, seriously, just graduated high school. She offered to take my suitcase and grabbed hold of it, which your camera, unfortunately, was currently balanced upon...
*gasp*
The battery flew out when it landed. Don't worry, don't worry, all is good. She was appalled and she apologized profusely, but I told her not to worry about it. Camera still works fine.
Went outside, looked for the van. Evan had to drive around in a circle yet again cause they wouldn't let him park. Sad story. Pleasant conversation was made: why she was involved, what I'd be expecting, how awesome the whole event would be, etc.
Couple of phone calls later, we walk all the way down to baggage claim #12 (we were standing at #1) to find Katlin, the other girl who had arranged for pickup that day. Her flight had been delayed and her baggage was late.
Amid all this, Kiana gets a call from Evan, telling her to look outside.
- - DOWNPOUR - -
Swear to ya. California clouds don't do rain like that. I'm not sure if you understand. Couldn't see the other side of the road.
But by the time we found the girl's suitcase, the rain had pretty much stopped. Apparently, it does that a lot here. Joy.
Found the van, loaded up luggage, hopped in, met a very surly Evan (he had been driving to and from Maryland ALL DAY), and proceeded to listen to Kiana's stories and opinions about people, politics, and current issues of today (Funny stuff).
Realized we were all hungry. But all potential food stops were closed. So was the cafeteria. Kiana said she'd order us a pizza after we got checked in. So, Katlin (who is lovely, polite, funny, etc.) and I found our room keys and got settled. Right now, at this moment, I have the room to myself. So I can take a shower and relax without any bother. PHEW.
I'm unloading my stuff and I hear Katlin greet someone she knows outside in the hall. As per her request, I exit the room and meet David, whom she had recognized from last year's conference.
And then we met Carolyn. And then Alyssa. And then Rachel. And then Maddie.
None of us knew each other. We bonded over some banana bread Carolyn had brought. Spent the next half hour just chatting, getting introduced, when Giovanni called (not really sure who this was, but he said we had pizza.) Sprinted downstairs to the lounge (pictures of this will come tomorrow) and devoured four slices.
Spikkin' of which, I'm awful thirsty now, so I'm gonna find some water...
Meh, I'll just finish this. You won't get this message until tomorrow, though. Shame.
After we finished our pizza, we talked about colleges and school and found out where everyone was from. Colorado, Arizona, New Jersey, Missouri, etc.
Heard mention that curfew for the lounge was at 11. By this time, it was already 10:30. I got up, said I needed to upload some pictures and e-mail my mother. David escorted me back to the room. This place is huge (again. pictures to come) and we ended up getting lost anyway.
However, we found a piano in the lobby of one of the buildings.
So I played. And some of the students who were walking by started singing along.
Ah. Yes. Photos. Lounge.
Uploaded photos from today, checked Facebook, friended (<---verb?) all the people I had just met, and that's when the lights turned off, so I hiked back to my room and sat to write you this.
You will be getting a follow up e-mail with pictures. Or I'll just post these "letters" to my blog with the corresponding pics.
My Lucy (Lucy Goose to you) is in Washington D.C. this week for a conference sponsored by Young America's Foundation. We're excited she was able to participate and I believe it will be a wonderful experience for her.
What I was NOT prepared for was my own reaction as the realization hit me that she was going to be traveling ALONE. I mean....alone alone.
So I helped her choose conservative outfits for the events and banquets (which, let me tell you, was no easy task in 2010. Apparently clothes for young ladies make it appear that they are grooming to become hookers these days, but that's not important right now) and helped her pack her bag.
I reminded her a dozen times to take chargers and toothbrush and....well, you know the drill.
"Call me! Text me when you get a layover! Make good choices!" And then she was on her own.
She's sending me updates which are amusing enough to share, so I'm doing so for your blogging entertainment. (And because it will be difficult for me to focus on much of anything else while she's gone.)
Eric dropped her at the airport which is where her narrative begins.
11:02am
Little Goose to Mothership:
Left the house at approximately 7:17am. Security Line: 7:44am. No hassle there. Dad asked one of the airplane-security-faces if he could stand in line with me, even though he wasn't traveling.
He then struck up a conversation with one of the women in line. Because she was holding a pillow:
"That's smart. *laugh* You know, George Bush always takes his pillow with him when he flies. So does my wife."
*meanwhile, Lucy pretends to busy self with cell phone*
Texted the paternal unit and assured him that I had made it through alive (they accepted an old student ID, so no worries there). Then proceeded to sit around for a good, oh, 10 minutes by my gate and took a few pictures. Boarded without any trouble whatsoever. (St. Christopher. Yup.)
[Marta here: I gave her a St. Christopher medal last year and explained that he was the patron saint of travelers. From Wikipedia: "He holds patronage of things related to travel and travelers: against lightning;
against pestilence; archers;
bachelors;
boatmen; bookbinders; epilepsy;
floods; fruit dealers; fullers; gardeners; for a holy death; mariners; market
carriers; motorists and drivers; sailors; storms; surfers[8];
toothache;
and transportation workers. - I'm not taking any chances, okay?]
Back to Miss Lucy...
I found my seat, put my suitcase on the overhead rack and my coat and laptop bag are resting on my feet.
Yes, I remembered my toothbrush. Yes, I remembered my phone charger. Yes, I remembered my makeup. Yes, I remembered my perfume.
I'm currently sitting in between two older women. The one on my right (who has taken control of the window) likes to chat. Her mother lives in Houston, but she grew up in Huntington, so she was visiting for a few days and she has a niece who wants to go to Santa Cruz to study psychology, but she doesn't think the girl's mother will let her (insert light chuckling here).
I put in my headphones soon after this conversation.
About... oh, 5 minutes ago, "How To Train Your Dragon" finished playing. I watched it... but my headphones refused to cooperate with the system. I enjoyed it, as one can only enjoy a movie when you can't hear it.
Just looked up at the little screen. Not a clue what's playing right now.
Oh hey! We got complimentary drinks and breakfast... sorta. Cornflakes. I passed. No worries, I ate before I left and I have snack stuff with me. Considering buying a light lunch when we stop in Houston.
Let's see... anything else... hmm... I could take about the clouds, I guess... *looks out window* Yup. Clouds. They're there.
I texted Bryant when I was waiting for the security check and told him I would try to stay out of trouble (yes, I identified myself.)
Ooh, what a horrible conundrum. Woman to my left is sleeping... but I just drank a whole Coke. What to do, what to do... I think we're going to land soon. Actually, I don't have a clue about our time situation at the moment. The captain doesn't like to talk to us (mildly unsettling).
Haven't taken any pictures of myself with the real camera. Just some basic travel shots. My gate, walking down the accordion thing, the view from my seat, my Coke, the window... A few photobooth ones. I'll send 'em to you. And blog tonight.
Two babies (I think the term "little people" is far more appropriate) have taken turns screaming.
OH MY. TOY STORY CLOUDS. I'd take a photobooth picture... If she would just fall back asleep again.
I suppose I could finish this up and read a bit... or nudge my way to the "lavatory."
Ad--
He's talking to us! "Nice weather. We're going down. Put on your seatbelts. Now."
I should pack up my laptop now. I'll send this during the layover.
Love you, miss you, mean it, Little Goose, over and out.
[Stay tuned for the next installment of 'Miss Lucy Goes to Washington' later today. Meanwhile Mama Marta breathes a sigh of relief and takes another tranquilizer. Shut up. I know. ;-) ]
My husband, Eric and I, had a wonderful opportunity recently to visit a little ranch just north of the city of Santa Barbara, California.
To get there, we had to drive up a winding, bumpy, one-lane road. I kept thinking that surely our guide had made some mistake. We were way too high and in a place that seemed wild and uninhabitable. Still the road continued to climb.
The road is unpaved most of the way and it’s very slow going. It took us about thirty minutes to drive up to what seemed to us like the top of the world, traveling only at about twenty miles an hour for the entire trip.
Suddenly, we reached a high point where the vast blue ocean was visible and breathtaking. There didn’t appear to be anything up here. In awe, we thought of how amazing it must have been for the earliest settlers who first witnessed this tranquil scene. From this vantage point in the Santa Ynez Mountains, we could finally understand why this ocean was named “pacific.”
At the top of this mountain, at the end of this seemingly road-to-nowhere was our destination: Rancho del Cielo. Also known as The Reagan Ranch.
As we drove up the gravel road and our friend and guide, Bryant, unlocked the gate that led to a tiny, one-story, adobe and stucco house, I wondered aloud where exactly the actual Reagan Ranch was.
We parked and walked up to the little patio in front of the tiny house and it was when I saw the sign on the patio overhang that I had my second of many a-ha moments for the day.
My thoughts then turned to former Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev. I wondered if he was as confused as I initially was. This place? This is where the powerful capitalist president chose to make his home? That realization must have blown his mind.
The furniture inside was shockingly plain. Brown wicker with woven American Indian blankets and memorabilia here and there. A cowboy hat here, a peace pipe there. There’s a pot bellied stove in the front room, which we were told provided the only heat to this front room. (No, I wasn’t allowed to take pictures inside. *Sigh*)
Ronald Reagan’s books are still on the shelves. The kitchen still has the original Harvest Gold appliances from the 70’s and it’s small. In fact, there’s barely room for one person to turn around in it. (I promise I will never complain about the size of my kitchen again.)
Above the fireplace in the unpretentious living room is the Presidential Seal. One of the few clues that the inhabitant of this house was once one of the most powerful and influential people on the planet.
The largest room in this modest house is the bedroom where two twin beds are pushed against each other, with the headboards held together by twist-ties. There’s a homemade quilt monogrammed with an “R.” There are hand-stitched pillows on the bed.
The closet holds a few old western-type work shirts, cowboy hats and boots. (Yes, I got to go into Ronald Reagan’s closet. I know. Shut up. And yes, I was tempted, just for a moment, to snap photos of his Stetson hats and collection of cowboy and English riding boots, but that’s not important right now.) On the other side of the small walk-in closet hang a few of Nancy’s ranch clothes and hats.
When I was young and Ronald Reagan was California’s governor, I used to think that he was a little corny. But as I stood in what was once his home, I thought how simple and unpretentious was the man who lived here. And how very, very genuine. Ronald Reagan believed what he said and lived what he believed.
He believed in American exceptionalism. He believed in the American dream. It was here, at Rancho del Cielo, where President Reagan signed the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981. He believed that a costly government was also often an incompetent one.
He believed in the value of hard work and built the fences on the ranch with his own hands from discarded telephone poles. His beloved ranch perfectly illustrates the high value he placed on simplicity and freedom.
He believed and often repeated that the most important words of the U.S. Constitution are the ones that begin it: “We, the people…”
In the time since our visit to the Reagan Ranch, my admiration for President Reagan has grown. I am now, more than ever, unapologetically a proud Reagan Conservative.
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The actions and words of Ronald Reagan, our 40th president were in large part responsible for the collapse of the Soviet Union and the salvation of millions of lives which would otherwise be lost to communism. Ronald Reagan spent his entire life fighting against and prevailing over the evil that is communism.
When I read the news, it seems that evil is once again growing, unchallenged. I'm also encouraged, because I see signs that conservatism is also on the ascendancy once again.
All we need now is another Ronald Reagan.
"I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there's purpose and worth to each and every life." ~ Ronald Reagan
A very special thank-you to our guide and friend, Bryant Conger for the amazing tour. Thanks also to Young America’s Foundation for all you have done to preserve the Reagan legacy and for all you continue to do for the cause of conservatism.
My Big Fat Cuban Family is all about my Cuban American life. Enjoy my ramblings on my blog about my Cuban family, Cuban heritage, Cuban culture, Cuban life. And some decent Cuban recipes with pictures, too.
