November 7 – Fala Day

Fala was President Roosevelt’s Scottie.

During the 1944 election Roosevelt was accused of sending a destroyer to fetch Fala, who supposedly had been left behind on the Aleutian Islands during a campaign tour. FDR responded with the Fala speech:

“These Republican leaders have not been content with attacks on me, or my wife, or on my sons. No, not content with that, they now include my little dog, Fala. Well, of course, I don’t resent attacks, and my family doesn’t resent attacks – but Fala does resent them. You know, Fala is Scotch, and being a Scottie, as soon as he learned that the Republican fiction writers in Congress and out had concocted a story that I had left him behind on the Aleutian Islands and had sent a destroyer back to find him – at a cost to the taxpayers of two or three, or eight or 20 million dollars – his Scotch soul was furious. He has not been the same dog since! I am accustomed to hearing malicious falsehoods about myself – such as that old, worm-eaten chestnut that I have represented myself as indispensable. But I think I have a right to resent, to object to libelous statements about my dog.” (Source: www.aadl.org)

Fala was added later to the FDR Memorial at the suggestion of Senator Carl Levin.

Yet another example of how important dogs are in our society. So, far there have been 2 days that celebrate presidential dogs. Isn’t it strange how those little guys just get right in there and become part of your family? They truly are like another child, sibling, or best friend. Jared and I are always trying to figure out what Duke is thinking. Today we were buying a new car and we kept saying to each other, “Duke would like this seat better I think”, “Do the windows go down far enough for duke to stick his head out?”, we even took Duke for a ride in the new car when we got home to see if he liked it…he gave his stamp of approval…whew!

I am not a bumper sticker kinda person, but I do love the one that says “Bark Less, Wag More”. Dogs are always so happy, so forgiving, and always soo excited to see you when you get home. It makes me feel so loved when I walk through the door and Duke runs a circle around our table and then sits down (so excited he can barely hold himself down) until I pick him up and give him a big hug! It is one of my favorite parts of the day!

So here’s to all the doggies out there that make the world a better place! This last picture is what Duke and I would like to look like on our statue.