Suggestions for inspirational words for public buildings

Resolution—Last week the Matanuska Susitna Borough Assembly passed a resolution which would display historical and inspirational documents inside the lobby of the main borough building in downtown Palmer. Private donations will fund this effort. Possibly these same documents would also be displayed in other public buildings, like library lobbies.

Intent—Presumably the intent of these displays would be to remind everyone of the goal to improve their lives and community. The display of documents seeks to educate and inspire all to become a better version of themselves.

Selected Items—Here are the specific documents to be displayed in Borough lobby:

• The Ten Commandments (Versions vary)

• A summary of the Code of Hammurabi 282 laws

• The Magna Carta, 3600 words

• The Mayflower Compact, 200 words

• The Declaration of Independence, 1337 words

• The preambles to both the U.S. and Alaska Constitutions. 125 words

This is quite a collection of lofty and eloquent works and words.

Question—This subject was discussed at length on the Palmer Alaska Buzz fb platform over the weekend. The question was: What inspirational words of wisdom would YOU like to see in a public lobby? The responses and crowd sourced suggestions were robust. There were over 85 individual suggestions and I share some of them here. (I couldn’t possibly re-list all of them because the quantity and redundancy. I admittedly removed some that were naughty and obviously added just to cause a ruckus.) But here are some great ideas and thank you to the thoughtful contributors.

Before I list them it is important to say that The Mat Su Borough’s list is impressive. The inclusion of the Ten Commandments is very nice. I like them; most people do. They are short, easy to remember and repeat. However, I don’t know if one faith’s tenants should be on display when other faith’s are not—especially when freedom of religion is a historic factor in America’s evolvement. It’s important to acknowledge inclusive, universal, generational teachings along with history and local folk lore. Whether it is Governor Jay Hammond, Mr Rogers, Mother Theresa, or the Dahli Lama, good solid words of all sorts are important.

Local crowd-sourced suggestions for inspirational words of wisdom which YOU would like to see in a public lobby:

• The Emancipation Proclamation (719) and Gettysburg Address (272 )words by Abraham Lincoln

• The Federalist Papers #52 by James Madison. (This is where he supported the prohibition against any religious test for public office. He also wrote that the door of government is open to merit of every description without regard to any particular profession of religious faith.)

• “Love your neighbor. Love the stranger. Hear the cry of the otherwise unheard. Liberate the poor from their poverty. Care for the dignity of all. Let those who have more than they need share their blessings with those who have less. Feed the hungry, house the homeless, and heal the sick in body and mind. Fight injustice, whoever it is done by and whoever it is done against. Morality preface/Jewish Torah

• The Beatitudes from The Sermon on the Mount —2800 words by Jesus.

• Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain and your neighbor's loss as your own loss. – the Taoist T'ai Shang Kan Ying P’ien

• “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.” – the Buddhist Udana-Varga 5,18.

• “Ain’t I a Woman” speech by Sojourner Truth

• “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be breathe free,” by Emma Lazarus and inscribed on the Statue of Liberty

• Alaska Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945

• “The Alaska Flag Song,” lyrics (74 words) written by Benny Benson

• Desiderata (438 words) by Mas Erhmann

• “Ain’t I A Woman,” speech by Sojourner Truth

• Inclusion of specific quotes local Native Alaskans

• The Pledge of Allegiance

• “America the Beautiful” ( 200 words) lyrics written by Katharine Lee Bates

• “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled,they will say: we did it ourselves.” Lao Tzu

• “Be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of someone else.”

• “Leave the world better than you found it.”

• “We need never be hopeless because we can never be irreparably broken.” Thomas Edison

• “Be who your are…not who they think you are. Your true authentic self is all that is needed to live your purpose. Be the love you are looking for. ” author unknown

• “Don't go around hurting each other, and try to understand.”

• “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Eleanor Roosevelt

• “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” President John F. Kennedy

• Lyrics to song, “Imagine” by John Lennon

• Lyrics to song, “Morning Has Broken,” by Cat Stevens

• “Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter of course, just one kind word to another.” Mr. Rogers

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff on the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Email bhunt@mtaonline.net or text at 907.315.3222