zTruth

Rise up and be counted!

This is an awesome song featuring Jeremy Hoop singing "Rise Up".  It's inspirational and bursting with patriotism:

 

Take the American Revolution test

There 's a great website about the American Revolution managed by the American Revolution Center and Museum.

Test your knowledge here.

Veterans Day - honoring those who served to protect our freedom

 
 Words alone cannot express the thanks my family and I have for your service and sacrifice.

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The history of Veterans Day

9/11: We remember

Eight years ago today the worst terrorist attack broke our hearts but never our country, our resolve or our spirit. 

Before 9/11/01,  I, an Oklahoman,  had a thought on more than one occasion there would be another tragedy someday that would make the bombing in Oklahoma City, which ripped away our sense of security, seem small. Historically, the worst hurricane, the worst tornado on record are eventually out-done by a newer stronger more devastating one - so it was only logically.   But 9/11 happened way too soon after the tragedy in Oklahoma City on April 19, 2005.  Way too soon.

There will be another tragedy someday that will out do 9/11 if we are not vigilant and fail to understand and underestimate the nature, persistence and deviousness of our enemy.

After 9/11,  President Bush declared this day to be Patriot Day starting in 2002 and every 9/11 going forward.  It is a good day to fly your flag or wear a pin of remembrance.  We must never forget.

Below is a picture collage of the victims of 9/11.  May God have mercy on their souls and protect and provide comfort to their families:

 

Source of photo:  trial exhibit No.  P200336, United States v. Zacarias Moussaoui, a collection of photographs of those killed (except of 92 victims) during the terrorists attacks on September 11, 2001.

What was...

 

9/11/2001:

After:

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Also see:

1,202 exhibits admitted into evidence during the trial of U.S. v. Moussaoui

Statute of Liberty Crown opens today!

The crown of the Statute of Liberty opened today for the first time since 9/11.

I remember as a 9 year-old child viewing the city of New York with my mom and dad from these windows.  What an incredible experience it was.

Below a photo of a view you won't see any more from the crown:

Today is National Medal of Honor Day!

Unfortunately too many of us do not know this day exists. 

Consider adding this date to your cell phone calendar reminder for next year (it always on the 25th of March).  Then tell everyone you know!

From  Home of Heros there are some suggestions for this day:

"National Medal of Honor day is celebrated in some communities, however for the most part the occasion comes and goes with little notice.  As a patriotic American there are a few things YOU can do to commemorate this day:

FLY YOUR FLAG with pride and patriotism on this day.

REMEMBER OUR HEROES.  As a gesture of your appreciation, why not take just a few moments in the week prior to National Medal of Honor Day to mail a "Thank You" card to one of our living Medal of Honor recipients.  You can find a list of the living as well as information on writing to them among the pages of this site.

INFORM YOUR LOCAL MEDIA.  Most newspapers aren't even aware that this special day exists.  Why not tip your local media to the occasion.  Before you do, check out our database for Medal of Honor recipients from your city and state as well as any who might be buried in your city.   This information can give your media a "local angle" that can increase the probability that they will consider doing a story to remind Americans of our heroes.

Consider doing something in your local schools, or even on a civic level, if there is a Medal of Honor recipient living near your location.  Visit our site on SCHOOL IDEAS for more information on school assemblies.

If there is a Medal of Honor recipient buried in your home town, get a school class, scout troop, or other youth organization to "adopt a grave site".  You can read in our SCHOOL IDEAS pages how one school in Pueblo has used just such a program as a part of their Social Studies program."

My heart felt thanks goes out to the all military heroes in Oklahoma and our nation!  Many sacrificed their lives so we may live in freedom.

God Bless you all.

Oklahoma Medal of Honor Recipients 

 

H/T Little Green Footballs

Disabled Oklahoma Gulf War vet dies on journey for adoption of a "Honor and Remember Flag"

Kevin Baker is a true hero:

Kevin Baker, a disabled Gulf War vet who was traveling cross-country from Norman, Okla, to Washington, D.C., to champion adoption of a new flag honoring fallen and disabled troops, died March 13 after suffering a seizure in Lake Charles, La.

Baker was a Navy veteran who had suffered a traumatic brain injury and had a history of seizures, according to an Associated Press report Monday. Baker was making the trek on a specially-designed hand-powered bike to bring attention to an Honor and Remember Flag that he hoped to see officially adopted to recognize troops killed and injured in service to the United States.

...The Honor and Remember Flag depicts a gold star centered against a red field set above a white border. The blue field and stars of a folded U.S. flag rests beneath the star, with an eternal flame rising up from the top of the triangle, according to the image at honorandremember..."

Respect

Hauntingly beautiful.

 Photo:  Todd Heisler/Rocky Mountain News

Marines unload the body of 2nd Lieut. Jim Cathey, 24, from a commercial flight to Reno, Nevada, as passengers watch.  Time photo essay 2005

Victory in Iraq Day!

 

 

Victory in Iraq Day

November 22, 2008

 

 

It looks like Zombietime may have started this and many blogs are participating...

 

"Let us honor the sacrifice, dedication and sheer determination of American, coalition and Iraqi troops who have brought freedom to the nation and people of Iraq.

Although our governments have chosen to not name any official day marking the end of this war, we the people have taken it upon ourselves to commemorate November 22, 2008 as the day of victory over the forces of tyranny, oppression and terror in Iraq..."

God Bless their service, their sacrifice and God Bless America.  We must always remember freedom is not free.

See Zombietime for more

H/T Little Green Footballs

Veterans Day

In loving memory to all those who served and died for our country.

 

PS:  I found this at Oak Hill Baptist Church

In Memory of those who lost their lives on 9/11/01

There is not doubt that America is safer today than it was before 9/11 thanks to the efforts of our government.

In loving memory of the lives lost, we pause to give them tribute.  We remember their families and friends who suffered and grieved far more than anyone else.

9/10/01 was the last normal day in America...

 

9/11 Cross Erected Near Flight 93 Site

H/T  WilliamAmos

The American Military

Oh, yeah.  This is an awesome video about the men and women who make our military the great power it is today!   Their hard work,  which always is for the pursuit of freedom,  must never be forgotten.

 

H/T Holger Awakens

God Bless America

The 4th of July at Mount Rushmore.  Don't you just love this great country?

Flag Day 2008

Watch Rick Monday, in an act of complete patriotism,  save the American flag from being burned abck in 1976:

This video was taken on October 1, 2007 and shows Senator Barack Obama, Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Hillary Clinton and Ruth Harkin during the National Anthem

Human Statue of Liberty

This picture was taken in 1918 at Camp Dodge, Iowa and was made with 18,000 patriotic men!   The Iowa National Guard website has more information and pictures of other formations made by these men.  Isn't it amazing?

Thanks to DP in Washington who sent this to me.

Tulsa Truthers: Blame our government

Contrast the work of these young conspirator theorists in Tulsa who believe our government is this horrible evil empire with the frustration of a man named Vito who asks with passion where are all the young men who will defend our flag? 

Would these Tulsa Truthers defend the American flag?

Where are all the young men?

Rick Monday's heroism saved the American flag in 1976!

On April 25, 1976, during a game at Dodger Stadium, two protesters, a man and his son, ran into the outfield and tried to set fire to an American flag they had brought with them.

Memorial Day Tribute

To honor our the men and women who serve our country for a noble cause:  freedom

Presidents Day

This video, the reciting of Pledge of Allegiance, is appropriate for today, President's Day.  I love how they did the flag and the voice is so commanding. 

Presidents Day (or Presidents' Day), is the common name for the federal holiday officially designated as Washington's Birthday, and both variants are among the official names of a number of coinciding state holidays. It is celebrated on the third Monday of February.

Hey, it's less than 40 seconds long...

The Gratitude Campaign

This is a nice way to show thanks to our soldiers when you see them.  I think you will like this.

Thanks to KW in New York for sending this to me.

The Gratitude Campaign

U.S. soldier, Andrew Olmsted's last blog post

I read on Little Green Football a brief post about Andrew Olmsted who blogged from Iraq.  He had prepared one last entry to be posted only in the event of his death. 

That entry is now on his site. 

Rocky MT New:  Andrew Olmsted

His also wrote a blog for the Rocky Mountain News.  While they reported about his death, for some reason they didn't provide a link to his last entry on his personal blog.    Below is just a small part of what he wrote in his last post:

..." I'm dead. That sucks, at least for me and my family and friends. But all the tears in the world aren't going to bring me back, so I would prefer that people remember the good things about me rather than mourning my loss. (If it turns out a specific number of tears will, in fact, bring me back to life, then by all means, break out the onions.) I had a pretty good life, as I noted above. Sure, all things being equal I would have preferred to have more time, but I have no business complaining with all the good fortune I've enjoyed in my life. So if you're up for that, put on a little 80s music (preferably vintage 1980-1984), grab a Coke and have a drink with me. If you have it, throw 'Freedom Isn't Free' from the Team America soundtrack in; if you can't laugh at that song, I think you need to lighten up a little. I'm dead, but if you're reading this, you're not, so take a moment to enjoy that happy fact.

...Soldiers cannot have the option of opting out of missions because they don't agree with them: that violates the social contract. The duly-elected American government decided to go to war in Iraq. (Even if you maintain President Bush was not properly elected, Congress voted for war as well.) As a soldier, I have a duty to obey the orders of the President of the United States as long as they are Constitutional. I can no more opt out of missions I disagree with than I can ignore laws I think are improper. I do not consider it a violation of my individual rights to have gone to Iraq on orders because I raised my right hand and volunteered to join the army. Whether or not this mission was a good one, my participation in it was an affirmation of something I consider quite necessary to society. So if nothing else, I gave my life for a pretty important principle; I can (if you'll pardon the pun) live with that.

...This is the hardest part. While I certainly have no desire to die, at this point I no longer have any worries. That is not true of the woman who made my life something to enjoy rather than something merely to survive. She put up with all of my faults, and they are myriad, she endured separations again and again...I cannot imagine being more fortunate in love than I have been with Amanda. Now she has to go on without me, and while a cynic might observe she's better off, I know that this is a terrible burden I have placed on her, and I would give almost anything if she would not have to bear it. It seems that is not an option. I cannot imagine anything more painful than that, and if there is an afterlife, this is a pain I'll bear forever.

I wasn't the greatest husband. I could have done so much more, a realization that, as it so often does, comes too late to matter. But I cherished every day I was married to Amanda. When everything else in my life seemed dark, she was always there to light the darkness. It is difficult to imagine my life being worth living without her having been in it. I hope and pray that she goes on without me and enjoys her life as much as she deserves. I can think of no one more deserving of happiness than her."

The Rocky Mountain News reported Major Olmsted was the first Iraqi war casualty in Colorado for 2008.

Thank you for your service, Andrew 

God Bless.

A rare 710 year-old copy of the Magna Carta sold for $21.3 million!

It was a good day for freedom in America yesterday:

the 1297 Magna Carta ...on display in the National Archives Building. This is the only Magna Carta permanently residing in the United States. (Reproduced with permission of the Perot Foundation.)

"A rare 710-year-old copy of the Magna Carta, among the most important historical documents ever to hit the auction block, sold for $21.3 million on Tuesday at Sotheby's.

...The last remaining copy in the United States and the last in private hands, the Magna Carta, one of 17 known to exist, was sold by The Perot Foundation, created by billionaire former U.S. presidential candidate Ross Perot to make philanthropic grants. The foundation acquired it from the collections of the Brudenell family of Deene Park in Northamptonshire in 1984.

"It's a good day for our country," said David Rubenstein, a lawyer and founder of The Carlyle Group, a private equities firm, told reporters after he made the extraordinary purchase, adding that he had arrived just minutes before the sale and very nearly missed out."

I am really just a temporary custodian of it," said Rubenstein, adding that he would not have to travel far to see the document as his office is just a few hundreds yards from the National Archives. Rubenstein said his Washington connections run deep, having once worked under President Jimmy Carter as a deputy domestic policy advisor. 

The U.S. Constitution includes ideas and phrases taken almost directly from the charter, which rebellious barons forced their oppressive King John to sign in 1215.

Sotheby's said the Magna Carta was ratified and reissued with each monarch who succeeded John. It was enacted as law in 1297 by the British parliament when it was reissued by King Edward I. The copy sold on Tuesday is from 1297.

Asked how high he was willing to bid for the Magna Carta, Rubenstein replied: "I don't think you can put a price on freedom."

Read more at the National Archives

Flag Folding Recitation Ban Lifted by the Veterans Adminstration

The Sept. 27 flag folding recitation ban was an effort to create uniform services throughout the military graveyard system, spokesman Mike Nacincik said, adding the 13-fold recital is not part of the U.S. Flag Code and is not government-approved.

The Veterans Affairs Department moved Tuesday to clarify a directive limiting the use of a religious recitation at flag-folding ceremonies after it sparked an uproar among some veterans and Republican House members.  See below for the meaning of each fold.

The memo said the handout and its religious references shouldn't be used as a script at committal services unless the next-of-kin requests it.

"The VA is being manipulated by out-of-control secularists," said Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif.

...It was the 11th fold, which when honoring Jewish veterans, makes a reference to the God of Abraham, that provoked a complaint this summer by someone who witnessed the ceremony at Riverside National Cemetery in Southern California, said Mondello.

The complaint focused not on the content of the recital but on an error in the text used by cemetery volunteers which identified Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as gods, Mondello said.

...The policy was not clear to lawmakers Tuesday who interpreted comments from VA officials to mean the 13-fold recital could no longer be recited at all by cemetery workers or volunteers."

THE MEANING OF EACH FOLD OF AN HONOR GUARD FUNERAL FLAG

Every evening at a time specified by the Commanding Officer, military bases throughout the world conduct a solemn ceremony called retreat. During this ceremony our National Colors, accompanied by the appropriate music, are lowered from their staffs. The Flag is then folded into a triangle shape and kept under watch throughout the night. This is done in tribute to our Honored dead. Each of the 13 folds has a special symbolic meaning.

Our Flag is folded from the stripes forward. The 13 stripes represent the original colonies that founded our republic. The 50 stars represent the sovereign states now comprising our nation.

1) The first fold is symbolic of life.

2) The 2nd fold is symbolic of our trust and belief in eternal life.

3) The 3rd fold is made in remembrance and honor of the departed veterans who gave a portion of their lives in defense of our country. They have not died in vain and shall not be forgotten.

4) The 4th fold represents our weaker nature. As Americans we trust in God and turn to him for divine guidance in times of peace and war.

5) The 5th fold is made in tribute to our country. In the immortal words of Stephen Decatur: "Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is our country - right or wrong".

6) The 6th fold brings to mind where our hearts lie. It is with our hearts that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

7) The 7th fold is in tribute to our armed forces, for it is they who protect our country and flag against all enemies, whether they are found within or out of the borders of our Republic.

8) The 8th fold is a tribute to those who have entered into the valley of the shadow of death that we might see the light of day.

9) The 9th fold is a tribute to motherhood. It is through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the characters of our great leaders have been molded.

10) The 10th fold is made in honor of our fathers. They too, have given their sons and daughters for the defense of our country.

11) The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the Seals of King David and King Solomon and glorifies the Gods Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

12) The 12th fold is the collective religious faiths of Americans. It symbolizes eternity and glorifies the righteousness of God.

13) The 13th and final fold is made in honor of the 13 American Colonies whose fighting force gave us liberty.

When folded, the Flag's Stars will be uppermost, reminds us of our motto. "In God we Trust". The Flag now takes on the appearance of the "cocked hat" worn by our forces in the American Revolution. It now reminds us of the soldiers who once served under General George Washington and the sailors and marines who served under John Paul Jones. They have been followed by their comrades and shipmates in United States forces who have preserved for us the rights, privileges and freedoms which we enjoy today.

Hero of the Day: I'm A Veteran and I'm Not Going to See This Done To My Country

A KRNV News 4 viewer called into this Reno, NV. TV station yesterday to report a business in Reno was flying the Mexican Flag on top of the American Flag!  The station went out and took this picture.  Then the TV news crew caught veteran, Jim Broussard, going up to the pole and cutting down the U.S. Flag with an Army knife.  He did it in order to honor his country by removing it from the lower position on the flag pole (which is against the law).  It is a must watch.  Hat's off to Veteran, Jim Broussard!!! 

There is also an interview with Jim here that was done after he took down the American flag.

Today,  the ACLU is whining this really isn't the law:

The ACLU of Nevada is concerned about recent media reports that it is "illegal" to fly foreign flags over the U.S. flag. While there is indeed a federal law regulating the display of the U.S. flag, that law is merely advisory and simply codifies standard government practice in displaying the American flag.  Several federal courts have examined this law and held that the flag rules are not mandatory and cannot be enforced." 

Does anyone want to bet these federal ruling, if true, were the work of liberal judges? 

God bless you all from the Minuteman

This is a video that's around a year old but I just discovered it on YouTube.  Its entertaining and sad at the same time.  It's sad to see our country being treated with such disrespect.  It's is entertaining because the song, music, and video is well done.

Where Are All The Young American Men?

A great video:  Where are all the young American men when the American Flag is disrespected? This is a must watch

Happy Birthday America

       God Bless America

   God Bless Our Freedom

1776: Declaration of Independence approved by Second Continental Congress The Declaration of Independence, adopted this day in 1776 by the Second Continental Congress, called for the American colonies to secede from Great Britain, a proclamation now commemorated as a U.S. national holiday. source:  Encyclopædia Britannica