[bells clanging] [bells clanging] good morning. I am kirk cox, speaker of the Virginia House of delegates. Im delighted to welcome everyone here at jamestown settlement in the recreated church in james fort. And those viewing these proceedings online or watching from beyond to the 400 that anniversary today. Of the first and oldest continuous representative legislation body in the western hemisphere. As our forefathers did on this very day 400 years ago assembled here at the birthplace of american democracy, jamestown. Freedom in the form of Representative Democracy began here in virginia. The unforgettable and inspiring event that happened here, what began here, has changed not only virginia, and not only america, but much of the entire world. Special occasions and commemorations like this offer us an opportunity to pause and reflect on the history of 1619. As a retired schoolteacher, i taught government for 30 years. I know the year 1619 was pivotal. As well as complicated. Events th
[indistinct shouting] [bells clanging] good morning. Good morning. I am kirk cox, speaker of the Virginia House of delegates. Im delighted to welcome everyone here at jamestown settlement in the recreated church in james fort. And, those viewing these proceedings online or watching from beyond to the 400 anniversary today of the first and oldest continuous representative legislation body in the western hemisphere. As our forefathers did on this very day 400 years ago, we assemble here at the birthplace of american democracy, jamestown. Freedom in the form of Representative Democracy began here in virginia. The unforgettable and inspiring event that happened here, what began here, has changed not only virginia, and not only america, but much of the entire world. Special occasions and commemorations like this offer us an opportunity to pause and reflect on the history of 1619. As a retired schoolteacher, i taught government for 30 years. I know the year 1619 was pivotal, as well as compl
Will now rise, please remain standing for the pledge of allegiance, the national anthem. Governor, grace is your name and all the world. Grace is your presence in this land. You were here when native people first lived, loved, and governed themselves. You were here when the first englishmen emigrated and when they held their First Legislative Assembly 400 years ago. You were here when the first english women chose to come and join the men and dabblers communities and when the first African People were brought here in harrowing circumstances against their will you were with our ancestors men and women of diverse races and cultures through trial adversity , hope, and fear. In the same way that you are with your people then. Be with us now while we remember the relationship and legacy that has shaped us as americans today. Give us the courage to do the hard work of real reconciliation, and bless our continued effort for justice, freedom, and peace for everyone in this land, everyone witho
It is my great honor to welcome our guests, too many of you here and i am proud to introduce our keynote speaker for today, our 24th chancellor, the honorable robert m gates. Chancellor gates is the model for statesmanship that we look to now and for the future. He has dedicated his career to Public Service, serving eight u. S. President s. He leads with a restless and compassionate intelligence, his unwavering dedication to our nation earned him the trust and devotion of our Armed Services his career of Service Began early at william and mary, not many know that he drove a school bus while he was a student, and that he was an assistant troop leader for local boy scouts and that he had a senator as one of boy scouts as we discovered last night. After graduating in 1965, he joined the cia and was the first career officer to scale the ranks to become this irector. He served as president of texas a m from 2002 to 2006. When president bush called him to washington to serve a, as secretary
Compassionate intelligence, his unwavering dedication to our nation earned him the trust and devotion of our Armed Services his career of Service Began early at william and mary, not many know that he drove a school bus while he was a student, and that he was an assistant troop leader for local boy scouts and a senator as one of his voice gets boy scouts. After graduating in 1965, he joined the cia and was the first career officer to scale the ranks to become this director. He served as president of texas 2002 to 2006. When president bush called him to washington to serve a, as secretary he led our armed forces at a time when the auntry was in the minutes of global fight against terrorism. In 2009 he accepted a request from president obama, becoming the first secretary of defense to serve under president s of different political parties. He received the president ial medal of freedom for his commitment to the security of 2012merican people, and in , he was invested as chancellor and wa