Happy Mother's Day 2010!

On behalf of the entire team at NPI, I'd like to wish all of our readers who are mothers a very Happy Mother's Day. As President Obama said in his proclamation establishing May 9th as Mother's Day:

From our first moments in this world and throughout our lives, our mothers protect us from harm, nurture our spirits, and encourage us to reach for our highest aspirations. Through their unwavering commitment, they have driven and inspired countless acts of leadership, compassion, and service across our country. Many mothers have struggled to raise children while pursuing their careers, or as single parents working to provide for their families. They have carried the torch of trailblazers past, leading by powerful example and overcoming obstacles so their sons and daughters could reach their fullest potential.

Whether adoptive, biological, or foster, mothers share an unbreakable bond with their children, and Americans of all ages and backgrounds owe them an immeasurable debt.

We at the Northwest Progressive Institute are especially thankful for all of the mothers throughout America who have raised or are raising their children to have strong progressive ideals. I learned about empathy and responsibility — the ideas which underly progressivism — because my parents instilled those values in me when I was very young. I was and am incredibly fortunate to have a mother who wanted me to know how important it was to care for others.

I am likewise grateful to every mother like her for helping countless children understand that our time on Earth is best spent improving the human condition; lifting other people up, rather than putting them down. As a group, mothers understand perhaps better than anybody else how important nurturance is. We Americans would do well today to not only honor our mothers, but to listen to them as well, because our society could sure use more love and guidance.