Re: POST SOMETHING PATRIOTIC!

by **GypZ** Fri Jul 03, 2015 4:43 pm

TO THE FOURTH OF JULY

[It is well known that Swami Vivekananda's death (or resurrection, as some of us would prefer to call it!) took place on the 4th of July, 1902. On the 4th of July, 1898, he was travelling with some American disciples in Kashmir, and as part of a domestic agreement for the celebration of the day—the anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence — he prepared the following poem, to be read aloud at the early breakfast. The poem itself fell to the keeping of Dhirâ Mâtâ.]

Behold, the dark clouds melt away,
That gathered thick at night, and hung
So like a gloomy pall above the earth!
Before thy magic touch, the world
Awakes. The birds in chorus sing.
The flowers raise their star-like crowns—
Dew-set, and wave thee welcome fair.
The lakes are opening wide in love
Their hundred thousand lotus-eyes
To welcome thee, with all their depth.
All hail to thee, thou Lord of Light!
A welcome new to thee, today,
O Sun! Today thou sheddest Liberty!
Bethink thee how the world did wait,
And search for thee, through time and clime.Some gave up home and love of friends,
And went in quest of thee, self-banished,
Through dreary oceans, through primeval forests,
Each step a struggle for their life or death;
Then came the day when work bore fruit,
And worship, love, and sacrifice,
Fulfilled, accepted, and complete.
Then thou, propitious, rose to shed
The light of Freedom on mankind.
Move on, O Lord, in thy resistless path!
Till thy high noon o'erspreads the world.
Till every land reflects thy light,
Till men and women, with uplifted head,
Behold their shackles broken, and
Know, in springing joy, their life renewed!

by **GypZ** Fri Jul 03, 2015 4:59 pm

Happy Independence Day America, 4th of July 2015

by **Ponee** Fri Jul 03, 2015 5:41 pm

I have always had a strong sense of Patriotism. From the time I was a child, I had a sense of awe that a country to grow from wilderness to what it is now in 200 years. I remember attending a 1976 Bicentennial Celebration and just feeling so proud to be a part of a such a country.

I always enjoyed and felt proud to say the pledge of allegiance and sing the patriotic every morning in school. To this day I get choked up singing God Bless America, The National Anthem and several others. Who remembers singing those songs?

Watching parades with veterans marching always creates a humbling respect for those who served and gave their lives for this country. Where would we be without those that fought for our freedoms? I cringe at the thought.

I love my country. And I am so grateful that I am here to celebrate another birthday of our nation. And for those that want to burn, step on and tear the flag of this country, I say, go ... leave the country and make a home where you think you will have a better life. I am sure you will quickly find that your perceptions are far from reality. But, that is for another post ... another day. For now,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA !

by **Ponee** Fri Jul 03, 2015 6:45 pm

ok, to lighten the air a bit here are a few

4th of July Jokes

The difference between a duck and George Washington is:
One has a bill on his face; the other has his face on a bill!
What kind of tea did the American colonists thirst for?
Liberty!

What was the craziest battle of the Revolutionary War?
The Battle of Bonkers Hill.

Why were the first Pennsylvania settlers like ants?
Because they lived in colonies.

What's red, white, blue, and almost as ugly as a dog?
A revolutionary warthog!

Why did Paul Revere ride his horse from Boston to Lexington?
Because the horse was too heavy to carry!

~~~~~~~~~~~

The Fourth of July weekend was approaching, and Miss Pelham, the nursery school teacher, took the opportunity to tell her class about patriotism. 'We live in a great country,' she announced. 'One of the things we should be happy is that, in this country, we are all free.'
Trevor, who was a little boy in her class, came walking up to her from the back of the room. He stood with his hands on his hips and said loudly, 'I'm not free. I'm four.'

Footnote:
Good 4th of July jokes are hard to find

by **Ponee** Fri Jul 03, 2015 6:52 pm

Fearless on the Fourth of July

A soldier's story of how a community helped him battle his fear of fireworks.
by
Patrick Coble
As appeared in POST SOMETHING PATRIOTIC! Gp_logo_small

I could see the excitement on my 7-year-old’s face in the rearview mirror. We were driving home from church, and our pastor had talked about the town’s Fourth of July celebration, next week at the ball field.

The church would be sponsoring a hot dog stand, a moon bounce and face painting. There’d also be a baseball game.

“It’ll be awesome, Dad,” Angus said. “Will you go with us this year? We can watch the fireworks!”
I had to suppress a shudder. My wife, April, shot me a worried look. “Angus,” she said, “remember, Daddy needs to leave before the fireworks.”

Angus’s face fell. “Oh yeah.”

It might seem strange that a thing that brings so much joy to a 7-year-old would strike fear into the heart of a grown man—especially an ex-soldier. But I hadn’t attended a Fourth of July celebration in six years.

Not after what happened my first Independence Day back from active duty in Iraq. We were living in El Paso at the time, in army housing at Ft. Bliss.

April and I brought baby Angus with us to a friend’s barbecue. We stood in the backyard chatting while Angus napped in the house. Then I heard it. Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Small ammunition—machine-gun fire.
“Incoming!” I yelled, and dove to the ground. I lay on my stomach, my hands covering my head, my heart pounding as I waited for the all clear.

“Patrick, man, you all right?” I looked up to see my friend and April crouched beside me. What were they doing there?

Then I started to get my bearings back. I wasn’t with my battalion in Iraq. I was home. Across the street I could see the neighbors, lighting strings of firecrackers. Not gunfire. Just firecrackers.
I stood up, as embarrassed as I’d ever been. “Sorry,” I muttered. I knew I wasn’t in a combat zone, but my pulse raced like I was. My stomach was in knots, every hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

Everyone was sympathetic, but I couldn’t enjoy the rest of the party. I kept feeling that something or someone was waiting to attack from out of nowhere.

When the city fireworks started, I retreated inside the house and April followed, missing the show on my account. No more fireworks for me. Never again.

I pulled the car into our driveway, my son’s request hanging in the air. All these years later I still couldn’t face the Fourth.

I had my own tradition—shutting myself in my bedroom, turning down the lights, cranking up the volume on the TV and playing College Football on PlayStation till the booming and crackling was over.

We went inside. Angus’s disappointment really got to me. I revered my father—he was an Army veteran, the main reason I enlisted. My son looked up to me the same way, and now he was old enough to draw his own conclusions about why I hid out every Fourth.
Would he learn that the best way to deal with fear is to shrink from it? Lord, is that what I’m teaching him?

I’d been through a lot of changes in the past year. Last summer, I’d lost my job at an oil company. Our family’s finances got stretched to the limit.

It took me a few months to find another job, driving a truck for a soft drink company—at a third of my former salary. I was grateful, but for a while we weren’t sure how we could afford to buy Angus new shoes for the upcoming school year.

Then we heard about a community outreach sponsored by a church. They were buying shoes for kids. We went to the shoe store, and Angus picked out a pair he liked. I felt a little ashamed accepting charity, but the minister was friendly. “I can’t thank you enough,” I said when he paid at the register.

The next morning was a Sunday and I was planning to sleep in, as usual. But at 7 a.m. Angus marched into our room. “We need to go to church,” he said, “to thank them for the shoes.”
“We already thanked the minister,” I said. “Remember?”

Angus wouldn’t budge. “The people at the church gave their money to pay for the shoes. They’re the ones I want to thank.”

That Sunday service was the first I’d been to in a long while. Everyone was welcoming. What the pastor said really moved me. “We often feel alone with the challenges we face,” he said, “but God is always with you.”

My eyes filled with tears. Yes, my family faced challenges, but we weren’t alone. I stood up, walked forward and accepted God into my life. April,

Angus and I became regulars. The youth pastor talked me into helping with the youth group. April volunteered for community outreach projects, like the shoe drive. Getting to know God had enriched my life. Could he help me overcome something that felt so deep and so impossible to conquer?

All day I couldn’t forget that disappointed look on Angus’s face. I wanted to see him excited! After we put him to bed that night, I told April what was on my mind. “I want to do this,” I said, “for Angus. I just don’t know if I can.”

“I believe you can this year,” April said. “You’re different now. I’ve seen it.”

At our church’s parenting class that week, I told everyone about the fireworks, about Iraq, about my terror. About how sometimes, wars are never over. They gathered close to me. April put me on the prayer chain and posted about my struggle on the church’s Facebook page.

I was stunned by the messages I received. “We’re all praying for you.” “You are loved and being looked after.” “May God bless you and your family.” It was like having a whole new band of brothers I could count on. With their encouragement, I signed up to take a shift at the hot dog stand.

I called my dad, knowing he’d have good advice. “Position yourself so you can see the fireworks being lit,” he told me. “That way, you won’t be caught off guard. And, son, most important...”
“Yes, Dad?”

“Surround yourself with people you know and trust.”

Finally it was the Fourth of July. On the drive to the baseball field, Angus couldn’t sit still in the backseat, pressing his face against the window. The field came into view, and then the parking lot, jammed with tents and booths.

We pulled in. Some families were already spreading blankets out on the grass, saving the best spots for the fireworks.

Angus made a beeline for the moon bounce. I headed to the hot dog stand to hand out franks. Then April, Angus and I sat in the stands and watched the ball game—our boys from Liberal versus archrival Dodge City. Liberal beat them by two runs! I cheered as wildly as Angus.

At dusk, I got antsy. Band music blared. Last year I would have hurried home to that dark room and those video games. April took my hand and held it tight. We watched the sunset. I remembered what my dad said. Where were the fireworks being lit? Would I be able to get a view?

“We’ve got your back, Patrick,” I heard someone say, and turned to see two of our friends from church. Another couple we knew was next to them. “We’re praying for you,” they said.

I noticed a lot of our church friends gathering around. I thought about the prayer chains, the Facebook messages. So many people asking God to watch over me. Of all those I could surround myself with, was there anyone more powerful than God? Or anything weaker than my fear?

The pyrotechnics team took their place in the outfield. I hoisted Angus onto the dugout and stood beside him. The team lit the fuses. Lord, I know you’re here and you’ll be with me.

The first firework whistled into the air and popped. I took a deep breath, and kept watching. Then came another explosion and splash of color. Silver streaked the sky, pompoms of red, white and blue.

“Look, Dad!” Angus shouted, pointing skyward, his eyes lighting up. I wrapped my arms around him.

“I’m looking,” I whispered, gazing high into the Technicolor sky, celebrating, for the first time in years, my Independence Day. It was beautiful.

by **Ponee** Fri Jul 03, 2015 6:55 pm

Did You Know?

   "Fireworks were originally developed, according to most scholars, in the second century B.C., in China.

    The loud explosion was perfect for frightening off spirits, celebrating weddings, battle victories and eclipses of the moon. It was used in religious ceremonies and later adapted for military use during the Middle Ages in the form of flaming arrows.

    The original skyrocket used a long wooden or bamboo stick to provide stability through flight.

    The popularity of fireworks has grown in recent years due to spectacular effects of colors and sounds. Fireworks have evolved into an emotional experience that includes choreographed music with precise launch timing to create a dazzling spectacle." Source: Butler Eagle, Wed. 7/3/02, Page 11

by **Ponee** Fri Jul 03, 2015 6:57 pm

Signers of the
Declaration of Independence

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

    Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed, and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they?

    Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners, men of means, well-educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

    Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags. Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

    Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

    At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.
    John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

    Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

    They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told us a lot of what happened in the Revolutionary War. Our forefathers didn't just fight the British. They were British subjects at that time, and they fought their own government! Some of us take these liberties so much for granted...and we shouldn't.

    So, let's take a few moments while enjoying our 4th of July holiday and silently appreciate these patriots and thank the God who moved them. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Submitted by Neednuttin in 1998.

http://www.butlerwebs.com/holidays/independenceday.htm

by **Ponee** Fri Jul 03, 2015 6:59 pm

United States Flag Code
(36 US Code 10)
The Rules of Respect and Display of The American Flag
POST SOMETHING PATRIOTIC! Bar1

§ 170. National Anthem; Star Spangled Banner

The composition consisting of the words and music known as The Star-Spangled Banner is designated the national anthem of the United States of America.

§ 171. Conduct during playing

During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there.

§ 173. Display and use of flag by civilians; codification of rules and customs; definition

The following codification of existing rules and customs pertaining to the display and use of the flag of the United States of America is established for the use of such civilians or civilian groups or organizations as may not be required to conform with regulations promulgated by one or more executive departments of the Government of the United States. The flag of the United States for the purpose of this chapter shall be defined according to sections 1 and 2 of Title 4 and issued pursuant thereto.

§ 174. Time and Occasions for display; hoisting and lowering

(a) Display on buildings and stationary flagstaffs in open; night display It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness. (b) Manner of hoisting The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously. (c) Inclement weather The flag should not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, except when an all weather flag is displayed. (d) Particular days of display The flag should be displayed on all days, especially on New Year's Day, January 1; Inauguration Day, January 20; Lincoln's Birthday, February 12; Washington's Birthday, third Monday in February; Easter Sunday (variable); Mother's Day, second Sunday in May; Armed Forces Day, third Saturday in May; Memorial Day (half-staff until noon), the last Monday in May; [Webmaster's Note: The true Memorial Day is May 30]; Flag Day, June 14; Independence Day, July 4; Labor Day, first Monday in September; Constitution Day, September 17; Columbus Day, second Monday in October; Navy Day, October 27; Veterans Day, November 11; Thanksgiving Day, fourth Thursday in November; Christmas Day, December 25; and such other days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States; the birthdays of States (date of admission); and on State holidays. (e) Display on or near administration building of public institutions The flag should be displayed daily on or near the main administration building of every public institution. (f) Display in or near polling places The flag should be displayed in or near every polling place on election days. (g) Display in or near schoolhouses The flag should be displayed during school days in or near every schoolhouse.

§ 175. Position and manner of display

The flag, when carried in a procession with another flag or flags, should be either on the marching right; that is, the flag's own right, or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line.

(a) The flag should not be displayed on a float in a parade except from a staff, or as provided in subsection (i) of this section.
(b) The flag should not be draped over the hood, top, sides, or back of a vehicle or of a railroad train or a boat. When the flag is displayed on a motorcar, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the chassis or clamped to the right fender.
(c) No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea, when the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for the personnel of the Navy. No person shall display the flag of the United Nations or any other national or international flag equal, above, or in a position of superior prominence or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United States at any place within the United States or any Territory or possession thereof: Provided, That nothing in this section shall make unlawful the continuance of the practice heretofore followed of displaying the flag of the United Nations in a position of superior prominence or honor, and other national flags in positions of equal prominence or honor, with that of the flag of the United States at the headquarters of the United Nations.
(d) The flag of the United States of America, when it is displayed with another flag against a wall from crossed staffs, should be on the right, the flag's own right, and its staff should be in front of the staff of the other flag.
(e) The flag of the United States of America should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of States or localities or pennants of societies are grouped and displayed from the staffs.
(f) When flags of States, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United States, the latter should always be at the peak. When the flags are flown from adjacent staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last. No such flag or pennant may be placed above the flag of the United States or to the United States flag's right.
(g) When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.
(h) When the flag of the United States is displayed from a staff projecting horizontally or at an angle from the window sill, balcony, or front of a building, the union of the flag should be placed at the peak of the staff unless the flag is at half staff. When the flag is suspended over a sidewalk from a rope extending from a house to a pole at the edge of the sidewalk, the flag should be hoisted out, union first, from the building.
(i) When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag's own right, that is, to the observer's left. When displayed in a window, the flag should be displayed in the same way, with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street.
(j) When the flag is displayed over the middle of the street, it should be suspended vertically with the union to the north in an east and west street or to the east in a north and south street.
(k) When used on a speaker's platform, the flag, if displayed flat, should be displayed above and behind the speaker. When displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, the flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right of the audience.
(l) The flag should form a distinctive feature of the ceremony of unveiling a statue or monument, but it should never be used as the covering for the statue or monument.
(m) The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff. The flag shall be flown at half-staff thirty days from the death of the President or a former President; ten days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. As used in this subsection -
- (1) the term "half-staff" means the position of the flag when it is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff;
- (2) the term "executive or military department" means any agency listed under sections 101 and 102 of title 5; and
- (3) the term "Member of Congress" means a Senator, a Representative, a Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.
(n) When the flag is used to cover a casket, it should be so placed that the union is at the head and over the left shoulder. The flag should not be lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the ground.
(o) When the flag is suspended across a corridor or lobby in a building with only one main entrance, it should be suspended vertically with the union of the flag to the observer's left upon entering. If the building has more than one main entrance, the flag should be suspended vertically near the center of the corridor or lobby with the union to the north, when entrances are to the east and west or to the east when entrances are to the north and south. If there are entrances in more than two directions, the union should be to the east.

§ 176 Respect for flag

No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark of honor.

(a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.
(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.
(c) The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.
(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.
(e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.
(f) The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
(g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
(h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff of halyard from which the flag is flown.
(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.
(k) The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.

§ 177. Conduct during hoisting, lowering or passing of flag

During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag or when the flag is passing in a parade of in review, all persons present except for those in uniform should face the flag and stand at attention with the right hand over the heart. Those present in uniform should render the military salute. When not in uniform, men should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Aliens should stand at attention. The salute to the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.

§ 178. Modification of rules and customs by President

Any rule or custom pertaining to the display of the flag of the United States of America, set forth in section 171-178 of this title, may be altered, modified, or repealed, or additional rules with respect thereto may be prescribed, by the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, whenever he deems it to be appropriate or desirable; and any such alteration or additional rule shall be set forth in a proclamation.
POST SOMETHING PATRIOTIC! Bar1

by **Ponee** Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:03 pm

This flash mob gave grocery shoppers a happy, star-spangled surprise:

https://youtu.be/T8T7k3x9y8o

by **Ponee** Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:05 pm

This homeless man displayed his love for his country during a frightening storm:

by **Ponee** Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:09 pm

Thomas Jefferson - A SPECIAL 4TH OF JULY

Thomas Jefferson as he appeared in 1821, when he was 78 years old. Portrait by Thomas Sully. Image online, courtesy Library of Congress.

As Thomas Jefferson approached the end of his life, he thought about how he would like to be remembered. He designed an obelisk which would mark his grave. He created the words (the misspelling is his) he wanted used:

On the faces of the Obelisk the following inscription, & not a word more
Here was buried
Thomas Jefferson
Author of the Declaration of American Independance
of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom
& Father of the University of Virginia.

Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, 1826 - fifty years to the day that the Declaration of Independence was signed. It is said Adams' last words were:

Jefferson still lives.

He was wrong, by about three hours.
Jefferson's words - especially "all men are created equal" - are his most enduring legacy:

They were an inspiration to his friend, Lafayette, and others involved in the French Revolution.

They were an inspiration to Abraham Lincoln, who appropriated Jefferson's words as he tried to save the Union and end slavery.

They remain an inspiration today, even for African-American scholars like Julian Bond who try to understand the man's complexities and apparent inconsistencies.

Perhaps the poet Robert Frost best captured the thought-provoking importance of "all men are created equal" when, as a young man, he wrote of Jefferson ("the Welshman") in The Black Cottage:

That's a hard mystery of Jefferson's.
What did he mean? Of course the easy way
Is to decide it simply isn't true.
It may not be. I heard a fellow say so.
But never mind, the Welshman got it planted
Where it will trouble us a thousand years.
Each age will have to reconsider it.

Were that to happen, Jefferson would be proud indeed.

https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/A-SPECIAL-4TH-OF-JULY-Thomas-Jefferson

by **Ponee** Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:42 pm

I guess this is more INSPIRING than PATRIOTIC, but I LOVED IT --

This one is a doozy. Taylor Morris was hit by an explosive device when he was a soldier in Afghanistan, injuring him gravely. He became one of the few surviving quadruple amputees. His girlfriend, Danielle Kelly, helped him through recovery:

…to the point where they were able to dance together at a wedding:

Though this happened about two years ago, Taylor’s blog http://taylormorris.org/ shows that they’re still going strong.

by **Ponee** Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:57 pm

by Winnie the Pooh Sat Jul 04, 2015 2:53 am

by **Kevind53** Sat Jul 04, 2015 8:25 am

by **Kevind53** Sat Jul 04, 2015 8:30 am

by **Kevind53** Sat Jul 04, 2015 8:36 am

by **Ponee** Sat Jul 04, 2015 10:50 am

239 years ago today our ‪#‎Declaration‬ of Independence was signed by 56 men. Many of them paid dearly for signing this document—they literally put their lives on the line. Some were hunted down by the British and ended up living in the woods, some lost their homes, some were wounded or captured in the war. There is always a price to be paid for freedom. As something I read recently said: “Freedom is never free and patriotism is not a sin!” The freedom our nation has enjoyed came at a cost by these Declaration signers, and at a cost by our first Continental army and every military service member since then.

Franklin Graham

POST SOMETHING PATRIOTIC! Declaration-of-Independence

POST SOMETHING PATRIOTIC! Declaration-of-Independence