Casimir Pulaski was a Polish military officer who joined the American colonists during the Revolutionary War. It’s said that Ben Franklin himself recommended to George Washington that Pulaski be added to his cavalry.
After saving Washington’s life at the Battle of Brandywine, Pulaski was made a general and formed his own cavalry. He beat the British into kielbasa in Charleston, South Carolina, then mounted an assault on Savannah, Georgia in 1779, which cost him his life.
A monument to Pulaski was later built in Savannah, followed by a flurry of cities, counties, schools, roads, parades and bridges nationwide bearing his name. And since 1977, Pulaski Day has been celebrated twice a year, in March and October.
That still wasn’t enough for Dennis Kucinich. There are almost 230,000 residents of Polish descent in Greater Cleveland, which means there may be as many as three who, having yet to grasp English, could vote for Kucinich by mistake while trying to punch the ballot for Barack Obama. So for two years, the congressman has sacrificed precious seconds from his usual quest of vain ambition to milk the legacy of this immigrant war hero.
Finally, he’s broken through. House Joint Resolution 39 promises to best all the geographic, cultural, and infrastructural tributes by making Pulaski an honorary U.S. citizen posthumously. It’s the equivalent of trying to sign a washed-up ballplayer for a day so you can say they retired with your team. — Jason Nedley
This article appears in Mar 21-27, 2007.
“The Elf”
I wonder if those who use “the elf” to describe Dennis Kucinich would have called Abraham Lincoln ‘Ichabod Crane,” Dwight D. Eisenhower “Dumbo,” Ronald Regan “grandpa?”
No mention of the policies proposed by Dennis Kucinich, no mention of opposition to the Iraq War from the very begining, no mention of his intelligent and practical plan for health care — while issues such as this are being elevated to “journalism.”
Puhleeze!
A request to Jason Nedley to please just go a sight bit easier on Dennis Kucinich. Basically Jason in representing the Polish Legion of American Veterans, U.S.A. it was I who approached the Congressman and asked him to try and do something good for the Polish American community and introduce legislation proclaiming Cas. Pulaski to be an honorary U.S. citizen posthumously. So I’m grateful to him for that but now it suddenly has become political because someone on the House Judiciary Committee who unfortunately happens to be a fellow Republican is holding this back for puzzling but apparent reasons as stated by comments made on of all things Iowa Radio (which is included below. In a nutshell I need this Congressman King from Iowa of all places to push this through the committee so Dennis could then promote it on the House floor for the final vote. Dziekuje in advance for any cooperation you can offer.
Ben Filipczyk, National Executive Director, P.L.A.V., U.S.A.
Radio Iowa Home Page
Group blames Congressman King for blocking citizenship for Polish General
Sunday, September 30, 2007, 10:13 AM
By O.Kay Henderson
A group pushing for special recognition of the man who’s considered the father of the American cavalry says there’s one “obstacle” to their goal: Iowa Congressman Steve King. The Polish Legion of American Veterans has gotten the U.S. Senate to pass a resolution that would grant honorary U.S. citizenship to a Polish man who came to this continent in 1777 to help fight the Revolutionary War.
Casimir Pulaski was named a general by George Washington. He died of wounds suffered in a Revolutionary War battle in Georgia. The bid by the Polish veterans group to get Pulaski declared an American citizen has stalled in the U.S. House, though.
The group blames Congressman King for blocking a vote on the measure in the House Judiciary Committee. The Polish veterans group calls King’s action “puzzling” and “political.” King’s spokesman says King doesn’t have the power to block a vote and the resolution would pass if a majority of members on the committee wanted to vote for it.
Congress has bestowed honorary U.S. citizenship on six people. In 1963, Winston Churchill was named an honorary American citizen. In 1981, a Swedish diplomat who rescued Jews in the Holocaust earned the designation. Three years later, William Penn and his wife were similarly honored. Penn, as you may know, was the governor of the American colony of Pennsylvania.
In 1996, congress gave honorary American citizenship to Mother Teresa and then in 2002 bestowed it upon a Frenchman who served as another one of George Washington’s generals in the American Revolution.
By the way try not to express so much bigotry toward Polish Americans. It’s very tacky challenging their ability to vote. Trust me they’re not that interested in your inexperienced candidate Barack anyway
Later,
Ben Filipczyk, PLAV, USA