Patriotism

Armed Forces Day 2023

Today, we honor the Armed Forces of America. Image and excerpt borrowed from The Patriot Post.

On the third Saturday in May, millions of American Patriots observe Armed Forces Day, offering due honor and respect for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen serving our nation.

In 1950, President Harry Truman called for the establishment of a designated day to recognize the extraordinary service and sacrifice of our military personnel. Armed Forces Day consolidated the anniversary observations for the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force, following the unification of the service branches under the newly formed Department of Defense.

Having served in the US Naval Reserve on Active Duty many years ago, I can personally appreciate the daily activities that service personnel experience. Occasionally, those activities include rigorous physical involvement or putting your life on the line to serve in an inherently hazardous activity.

Let us honor our men and women serving in the military and keep them in our prayers during these interesting times. May Almighty God bless them all.

Patriot’s Day — April 19th

248 years ago on this day, the American Revolution began. Damsel and I hoisted our flags today in honor of the commemoration of the beginning of the greatest country in the world — a Republic, if we can keep it.

The “secret orders” intention of the British was to arrest American Patriots and Confiscate Weapons and Ammunition — does that sound familiar?

From the Patriot Post – Mark Alexander’s Column:

On the evening of April 18, 1775, General Thomas Gage, acting as the Crown’s military governor of Massachusetts, dispatched a force of 700 British Army regulars with secret orders. These troops, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith, were to arrest 53-year-old Boston Tea Party leader Samuel Adams, Massachusetts Provincial Congress President John Hancock, and merchant fleet owner Jeremiah Lee.

But what directly tied Gage’s orders to the later enumeration in our Constitution’s Second Amendment assurance of the innate “right to keep and bear arms” was the primary mission of his Redcoat brigades. They were charged with undertaking a preemptive raid to confiscate arms and ammunition stored by Massachusetts Patriots in the town of Concord.

Patriot militia and minutemen, under the leadership of the “radical” Sons of Liberty, anticipated this raid, and the confrontations with British regulars at Lexington and Concord proved to be the fuse that ignited the American Revolution.

In the early dawn of April 19th, their oaths would be tested with blood. Under the command of 46-year-old farmer and militia Captain John Parker, 77 militiamen assembled on the town green at Lexington, where they soon faced Smith’s overwhelming force of seasoned British regulars. Parker did not expect shots to be exchanged, but his orders were: “Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”

And then, there was the shot heard around the world.

We, as the modern militia must not forget the lessons of the American Revolution: the intention of tyrants is to disarm us and then have their tyrannical ways with the masses. Evil entities wanting to disarm Americans is, unfortunately, still with us. All the unconstitutional anti-gun laws (which includes any gun laws) be damned.

“Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”

George Washington’s Birthday

Today marks the 291st anniversary of the birth of the “Father of the Country,” George Washington. He was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Washington died in 1799 at Mount Vernon, VA, where he is laid to rest.

It is our opinion that the President’s Day Holiday as a replacement for both Lincoln’s and Washington’s birthdays is a sham and a disservice to both men. The generic term ‘president’ refers to nobody in particular that held the office and, unfortunately, may also commemorate some of the worst imbeciles ever to have been elected up to and including the present occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

We missed posting on February 12, which would have been the 214th birth anniversary of Abraham Lincoln (sorry Abe — next year maybe). Also, the image of GW above is actually actor Jon Voight, whose appearance in “An American Carol,” made an excellent impression of the Father of the Country.

Veterans Day 2022

11/11 at 11:00 — ARMISTICE! The end of hostilities in 1918 is still celebrated today as Veterans Day. So, here’s to all who served before, during and after that date. May we remember those who have fallen with reverence and dignity. May we honor those still serving with high regard and our deepest thankfulness for what they do.

My Dad served in the Navy in WW2. Damsel’s Dad served in Naval Aviation during the post WW2 era at the beginning of the Cold War. My older brother served as a Naval Officer from the 1960s until about 1980. My younger brother was in Naval Aviation, as was I during the 1960s. I am proud of the Naval Service tradition in our family.

As for my service, it was during a mostly peaceful time even though the cold war was underway. Toward the end of my active duty, The Vietnam War had started to flare up, but I mustered out of active duty and began a career in aerospace, still serving, but in the capacity of support to the armed services through supplying the DOD with tools to get the job done. I have no regrets about that.

So Happy Veterans Day to all who served, are serving and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

As an aside, we will be attending the annual Bluegrass Festival up at the Rodeo Grounds today. We may post about that event later this weekend.

We Still Remember —
Patriot Day, 2022

Twenty-one years ago on the eleventh day of September, 2001, four commercial airliners hijacked by nineteen Islamic terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and into a field near Shanksville, PA. Nobody in America, who was aware of what had happened, will ever forget where they were and what they were doing at that time.

We did what we could to keep the memory alive of the events on that terrible day. We participated in on-line memorials for those fallen and developed an animated sidebar widget that eventually got over 94 million hits on websites all over the world.

From Never Forget — Epilog:

The Never Forget animated graphic first appeared in August of 2005 and ran for thirteen years until August 2018. The estimated final count aggregated by the hit counter over the years was 94,945,312 hits. The average statistics for the entire lifetime amounted to approximately 20,000 hits per day, 833 hits per hour and 14 hits per minute. It’s hard to know the exact numbers since I never kept much of a record, but the peak hit rate might have been upwards of 1400 hits per hour at the time the counter passed 50 million hits.

We retired the graphic due to several factors, not the least of which was that many browsers discontinued support for Flash© animations. We are still proud that the animation received such widespread recognition.

We will continue to remember the events of 9-11-2001 and remain vigilant against the forces of evil. Join us as we pray for The United States of America to regain her stature among nations and for the safety of our countrymen from enemies both Foreign and Domestic.

Independence Day 2022

Happy 246th Birthday to our great Nation – America the Beautiful! May God’s blessings continue to flow throughout the land! Damsel and I wish you a peaceful and Happy Independence Day!

Babylon Bee Headline:

Flash Flood Warnings Issued As

Liberal Tears Continue To Soak Nation

Although the BEE headline is tongue-in-cheek, there are some seriously anguished folks out there in the wake of Dobbs and Bruen SCOTUS rulings. So, keep safe and watch your 6 if you are in a place where violence may occur during the holiday.

We’re safe at our little home in the desert and have plans for a 4th of July BBQ by grilling Steaks and serving them with Fauxtato Salad* and Beans on the side. We figure to have a safe and sane holiday here at home.

In the highly unlikely event that trouble comes calling, we’re in a Constitutional Carry place and are perpetually prepared for such eventualities. We just don’t post about our equipment, preparations and practice sessions any longer. Nobody needs to know what we have and how many.

Take care and enjoy the holiday.

Photo at the top: Cherry Red Cactus Flowers and Old Glory. Courtesy Damsel. Click to enlarge.

* A Keto diet salad with cauliflower instead of actual potatoes.