Archive for the ‘Holidays’ Category

Freedom isn’t Free!

July 4th, President Ronald Reagan, freedom is never more than one generation

See how informed you are on US History and Civics.

Independence Day Quiz

No cheating by going to a search engine. It’s only 30 questions, I scored 28 with one really stupid mistake.

Independence Day Quiz, American Civics

This flag is privately owned (Jim Gentry of South Pittsburg,TN), the owner (at his own expense) brought it out for Sgt. John M. Sullivan’s funeral on Jan. 8, 2007 in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee.

Flag Day, Grand Ol’ Flag, Jim Gentry, Sgt John M Sullivan

Memorial Day, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, Trace Adkins Arlington

Memorial day is to honor those who gave their lives in defense of this great nation. We honor Veterans in November on Veteran’s Day.

Obama Urges Americans to Honor Veterans on Memorial Day

In his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday, President Obama said people can honor veterans by sending a letter or care package to troops overseas, volunteering at health clinics or taking supplies to a homeless veterans center.

In his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday, Obama said people can honor veterans by sending a letter or care package to troops overseas, volunteering at health clinics or taking supplies to a homeless veterans center. He said it could also mean something as simple as saying “thank you” to a veteran walking by on the street.

Does this administration not have a competent staff who understands anything about holidays in the U.S.? I know the man has no clue on anything involving the military or veterans but the ignorance and stupidity displayed with this address is appalling.

Obama, Memorial Day, veterans, military

Awesome light show.

Amazing Grace Christmas Lights, Amazing Grace, Christmas lights

Recipe for a tear jerker – one Christmas, one little girl, one Daddy/Soldier who’s been deployed for 9 months. This little girl is so adorable.

H/T to Baby Roca’s Mama

Christmas, Video Soldier Welcome Home, Support the Troops,

What started over 17 years ago, as one’s man’s dream to honor Veterans with Maine wreaths for the holidays, has become an annual event cherished by many. Humbled with a new understanding about the impact the Arlington Wreath Project has made, not only in honoring the dead, but recognizing the sacrifices of the living, Morrill Worcester – President of Worcester Wreath Company committed himself to doing more, by reaching out across the country.

Morrill Worcester – President of Worcester Wreath Company explains his desire to develop the Wreaths Across America project:

“Our goal is to expand the recognition of those who serve our country, both past, present, and future, as well as their families who deserve our support. Without the sacrifices of our veterans, there would be no opportunity to enjoy the freedoms, the life we live today.”

We invite you to come and participate in this year’s wreath-laying ceremonies on Saturday, December 13th, at 12:00 noon EST. Click here for a complete list of participating locations.

Middle Tennessee’s ceremony kicks off at 11:00 am (CST). I’ll be at the Middle Tennessee Veterans Cemetery off of McCrory Lane (7931 McCrory Lane, Nashville, TN 37221). Please come join us tomorrow.

Wreaths Across America 2008, Patriot Guard, PGR, Honoring Our Veterans, Military, Christmas, Freedom isn’t Free

Got this from a friend although I changed a couple little names!

Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!

Twas the month before Christmas, Christmas, Holidays, taking Christ out of Christmas

What does Thanksgiving have to do with the free market or capitalism? Here’s a story about the Pilgrims where socialism didn’t work.

By Gary Palmer

On the fourth Thursday of November, Americans will gather with their families and friends to celebrate a uniquely American holiday, a day of thanksgiving, a day devoted to remembering the blessings of God.

Much to the irritation of secular liberals and Left wing radicals who dominate popular culture, media and educational institutions, Thanksgiving Day is undeniably a religious holiday. From its historic origin at Plymouth Colony to President Lincoln’s official declaration of the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens there is no denying that Thanksgiving is a government established and sanctioned religious holiday.

But there is more to the story.

First of all, the Pilgrims were not the first to declare a day of thanksgiving in America. In 1619, a year before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, a group of English colonists set aside a day to give thanks for their safe voyage and arrival in Virginia. As was typical religious custom of that time, there was no feast on that day of thanksgiving. The festival of eating and drinking which the Pilgrims celebrated with their Indian neighbors occurred in 1621 and was a substantial departure from the usual custom of fasting and praying on days of thanksgiving.

It is generally known that the Pilgrims suffered terribly through their first winter in America with about half of their members dying from sickness, starvation or exposure. Even though Squanto and other friendly Indians taught the Pilgrims how to grow corn and helped them with hunting, trapping and fishing, the harvest of their crops had yielded barely enough to support the colony. In the fall of 1621, although things were still very tough, they were thankful for what they had and declared a three-day feast which they shared with their Indian friends who contributed deer and wild fowl.

That is about the extent of what most people know about that first Pilgrim Thanksgiving. The following year, the Pilgrims again failed to produce enough food to adequately sustain them. People generally don’t realize the reason the productivity was so low was due to the practice of socialism.

William Bradford, the first governor of Plymouth Colony, recorded that the colonists struggled because they refused to work in the fields. After that first winter, Bradford assigned a plot of land to each of the surviving families and all profits; benefits that are got by trade, working, fishing, or any other means which they produced were to be deposited into a common storehouse and that all such persons as are of this colony, are to have their meat, drink, apparel, and all provisions out of the common stock. This meant that each member of the community was entitled to take what they needed regardless of how much or how little they contributed.

As Governor Bradford recorded in his journal, this effort to spread the wealth around the Pilgrim community was found to breed much confusion and discontent, and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. In other words, there was no incentive for people to work any harder than necessary.

After the dismal harvest of 1622, Governor Bradford recorded in his journal that “they began to think how they might raise as much corn as they could, and obtain a better crop.” As a result, Bradford and the Plymouth elders scrapped socialism and adopted a free market plan that allowed the colonists to own their land and the means of production and to keep what they produced to feed themselves or for trading. The harvest of 1623 proved that such market incentives work. Bradford wrote, “This had very good success, for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any other means the Governor or any other could use”.

Bradford acknowledged “instead of famine now God gave them plenty and the face of things was changed, to the rejoicing of the hearts of many.” Socialism in Plymouth Colony was a complete and tragic failure. After the colony implemented a free market system, Bradford wrote that from that point “any general want or famine hath not been amongst them since to this day.” In fact, the harvest of 1624 was so plentiful that colonists were able to start exporting corn to England.

As you gather with family and friends this national day of Thanksgiving to give thanks to Almighty God for His blessings on America, you should also give thanks for Governor Bradford and the Pilgrim settlers of Plymouth Colony. They established the spiritual foundations for our nation and, after a miserable failure with a socialist system, they wisely laid the free market foundations which ensured our prosperity as well.

And that, as Paul Harvey would say, is “the rest of the story.”

Gary Palmer is president of the Alabama Policy Institute, a non-partisan, non-profit research and education organization dedicated to the preservation of free markets, limited government and strong families, which are indispensable to a prosperous society.

November 21, 2008

Note: This column is a copyrighted feature distributed free of charge by the Alabama Policy Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author and API are properly cited. For information or comments contact: Gary Palmer, Alabama Policy Institute, 402 Office Park Drive, Suite 300, Birmingham, Alabama 35223, (205) 870-9900, e-mail [email protected]. To subscribe or unsubscribe to this column, please e-mail [email protected].

Thanksgiving, First Thanksgiving, Free Market, Plymouth Colony, William Bradford, American History