10C (part 2) - First Commandment: God and Liberty

Liberty Bell/wikipedia.com

I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of Egypt,
out of the land of slavery.

Exodus 20:2 (NIV)

So begins the First Statement of the First of the Ten Commandments.

And nothing illustrates this First Statement of the Ten Commandments better than this scene from the classic movie,  The Ten Commandments (1956) :

(reference: https://youtu.be/j3CANELyPo0 )

This First Statement lays the foundation of Ethical Monotheism

(1) God exists: "I am the Lord your God..."

And without faith
it is impossible to please God, 
because anyone who comes to him 
must believe that he exists
and that he rewards those
who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6  (NIV)

 (2) God delivered slaves from bondage into freedom: "brought you out...of the land of slavery."

So if the Son sets you free,
you will be free indeed.

John 8:36 (NIV)

This video examine this First Statement in light of ethical monotheism:

(reference: https://youtu.be/7TRQfei7JoI )

This first statement, the Creator liberating people from slavery, is echoed in the Founding documents of the United States of America, such:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, 

that all men are created equal, 

that they are endowed by their Creator 

with certain unalienable Rights, 

that among these are 

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Preamble to the Declaration of Independence

As well as our sacred monuments such as the inscription of the Liberty Bell:

"Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land 

Unto All the Inhabitants thereof."

Leviticus 25:10 (KJV)

Most of all, the Ten Commandments provide a foundation of how free people are to treat each other.

And this will be examined further in this series.

----------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------

Previous post in series:

10C (part 1) - The Ten Commandments  (2019)

----------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------

Photo: Liberty Bell/wikipedia.com

PC Watch (part 4) - Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Bikes, Lights , a Sledder/everystockphoto.com

Mid-January. Mid-winter. 

And in some parts of the country....

Cold...

And a popular song from the 1940s expresses that sentiment.

Baby, It's Cold Outside.

Here is a clip when it was performed for the big screen in Neptune's Daughter (1949):

(reference: https://youtu.be/7MFJ7ie_yGU )

Yet, in 2018 this song had been branded as Not Politically Correct. A song of sexual harassment, to be banned as part of the #MeToo movement.

  ( reference: 'Baby, It's Cold Outside,' Seen As Sexist, Frozen Out By Radio Stations )

Many radio stations caved. Agreed not to play it.

Some did anyway. Like WAKY (who repeated the song over and over for many hours.) And this oldie made a comeback in many markets.

So there!

Cold?

Everyone stay calm!

Just the sight of this fireplace could melt many "Snowflakes."

( reference: https://youtu.be/RDfjXj5EGqI )

Play this for endless hours. 
For those cold, cold days.
And there's no carbon footprint. 

For now, it's safe from the virtue signalers and scolds. 

Be warm and be safe.

Peace.

----------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------

Previous post in this series:

PC Watch (part 1) - Political Correctness (2013)

PC Watch (part 2) - The South Park Offense (2013)

PC Watch (part 3) - Too Weak to Live with Freedom?  (2014) 

----------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------

Photo:  Bikes, Lights , a Sledder/everystockphoto.com

Patriots (part 5) - Private Martin A. Treptow's Pledge

WW1 veteran/wikipedia.com

Above is pictured World War I veteran, Joseph Ambrose, 86, at the dedication day parade for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982. He's holding the flag of his son, who was killed in the Korean War.

It's sad for parents to out-live their children. Even more poignant for parents whose children have given their life for their country.

One World War I solider, who was killed in action, was Private Martin Treptow. In his inaugural address in 1981, Ronald Reagan gave speech to remember who we are, honoring veterans and their sacrifices.

(reference:  https://youtu.be/Wt8y18YFH70 )

A message for our times. Still relevant for our continuing war on terror against the enemies of freedom.

This Veterans Day, may we remember our veterans and all those who put themselves in harm's way to serve others--home and abroad.

And this pledge:

"America must win this war. 

Therefore I will work, I will save, I will sacrifice, 

I will endure, I will fight cheerfully and do my utmost, 

as if the issue of the whole struggle
depended on me alone." 

Martin Treptow's Pledge

We are Americans. And Freedom isn't Free.

God Bless our Troops!

And God Bless America!

------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------

Previous posts in series:

Patriots (part 1) - Taps (2016)

Patriots (part 2) - D-Day Courage  (2016)

Patriots (part 3) - Signers of the Declaration (2016)
  
Patriots (part 4) - Pearl Harbor - 75 years ago (2016)

------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------

WW1 veteran/wikipedia.com

Civics (part 2) - We the People

US Constitution/wikipedia.com

Constitution Day  

It's celebrated on September 17.
As that date is the anniversary of the US Constitution, written in 1787.

But before the United States had a Constitution, the new republic of 13 colonies was governed by..

The Articles of Confederation

During the American Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress drafted the Articles to conduct business. And they were ratified by colonies near the end of the war.  {reference: https://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/articles.html }

Yet they were many shortcomings, so a Constitutional Convention was called in Philadelphia in 1787.

For a good timeline on the Constitutional Convention,
check out:   http://teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/timeline/

Thus was born...

The Constitution 

The document created on September 17, 1787 at the first Constitutional Convention.
{reference: http://constitutionus.com/ }

The Preamble stating its principles is told in this children's song below:

(reference: https://youtu.be/pf6NvlXEyzg )

So the Constitution was ratified 1788 and put effect in 1789 when we elected our first president of the United States under the Constitution, George Washington.

Meanwhile, to sell the Constitution to the States, a case was made for them in...

The Federalist Papers

These 85 essays were written in 1787 - 1788 to make the case for the Constitution, so the States would ratify it. The authors, who used the pseudonym Publius, were some of our well known Founding Fathers--Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.

The result of this Constitution was the shift from a monarch to

We the People

Timeless

A document for the ages and all people. And celebrated in our pop culture

As shown in Star Trek, the Original Series,  Season 2 Episode 52 "The Omega Glory" (1968).

(reference: https://youtu.be/5Fajy-Fy_uA )

Captain Kirk does give a good speech: 

We merely showed them the meaning of what they were fighting for.

Liberty and Freedom have to be more than just words.

Whether it's Sci-Fi in the 23rd century or our own time in the 21st century, the Preamble and the words that follow offer principles for everyone to live by as well as words to remember who we are.

Liberty and Freedom!

That's worth fighting.

----------------------------------

----------------------------------

Previous post in the series:

Civics (part 1) - The Electoral College (2016) 

----------------------------------

----------------------------------

Photo: US Constitution/wikipedia.com

America's Story (part 21) - Is America Great?

Reagan 80/Wikipedia.com

Make America Great Again

That slogan can be read that America is no longer great. But we want to be. Again.

And that was Donald Trump's slogan in the 2016 presidential campaign. And it was used before. In 1980. By Ronald Reagan. As shown on the button above.

Both campaigns were decades apart. But in some ways very similar. Both were successful. Both candidates won the White House.

The zeitgeist (spirit of the times), was pessimistic. Angry. Dispirited. As many Americans perceived their country was in a downward spin into the dustbin of history.

In 1980:  We suffered a malaise from stagflation to the Iran Hostage Crisis.

In 2016:  A majority (up 70% to 80%, at times) believed the country was going in the wrong direction. [ Direction of Country polling ]

And during this zeitgeist, I remember getting email from a friend in 2012.  It contained video link, described as  The Most Honest Three and Half Minutes of Television

It still has been making the rounds in social media. And it comes to this conclusion...

America is not the greatest country in the world anymore

Oh, no. Not this again.

That case was made on the TV series, The Newsroom (2012-2014).

It begins, first of all, with the reporter, Jeff Daniel's character Will McAvoy establishing himself as a non-partisan journalist. Objective. Unbiased. A man we can trust. At least in this fictional world.

When asked why America is the greatest country in the world (after hearing the cliche answers of his colleagues), he hesitates.  Reluctant to answer. But he has a cheerleader in the crowd encouraging him with flash cards.

And the drama builds. The answer is finally dragged out of him. Like pulling teeth. It's torture. He finally admits it:

America is not the greatest country in the world. 

Then he peppers the audience with a bucket load of statistics to support this claim. Looking sad and even mourning his dismal conclusion. Yet offering a pearl of wisdom that recognizing the problem is the first step to solving it.

Here is the clip that had many of us (myself included) wringing our hands. Warning, some profanity:

(reference: https://youtu.be/wTjMqda19wk )

Yep. Four years ago, I bought into this brutal honesty. Hook. Line. And sinker. I even blogged about it: AI (part 1) - American Ingenuity 

Here are some points I made in that 2012 post:

The anchor seems to mourn for what we Americans used to be. And here are a few nibbles -

We stood up for what was right ... we reached for the stars ... acted like men ... we aspired to intelligence ... we didn't scare so easy ...

He ends his rant ...

First step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one. America is not the greatest country in the world anymore. ... Enough?

Then I heard a rebuttal to that scripted rant worth considering.

It's described as: A thorough slap down and rebuttal to Jeff Daniels' viral anti-America Newsroom scene, in which he claims that America is not the greatest country in the world.

(reference: https://youtu.be/qOhDFCcmgvY )

Hmmm. Some fact checking here.

Other countries with freedom? Saying other countries have freedom, does not make it so. Not when speech, religion, self-defense, moving between the classes, access to education, opportunity is curtailed or defined by the state.

Statistics? Easy to lie with statistics. Mislead. Compare apples to oranges.

But with freedom comes responsibility. In absence of an overbearing "Nanny State" comes the freedom to make wrong choices. And that has consequences, which are not good. And are reflected in some statistics that point that we can do better.

It comes down to: Freedom vs. Tyranny. And I blogged about that in 2014: Too Weak to Live With Freedom?

Freedom wins. Because it's right.

And...

Is America is great?

You bet. As long as we are free.

--------------------------------------

--------------------------------------
  

Other posts in this series:

America's Story (part 1) - The Speech that redefined us, November 19, 1863 (2011)

America's Story (part 2) - Savages! (2011)

America's Story (part 3) - Over There - 1917, 1941 (2011)

America's Story (part 4) - Christmas 1944, when we said NUTS to the enemy (2011)

America's Story (part 5) - Amazing Grace (2012)

America's Story (part 6) - GI Joe Tuskegee Airmen (2012)

America's Story (part 7) - When Reagan was shot (2012)

America's Story (part 8) - Memorial Day, Gettysburg, and Amos Humiston (2012)

America's Story (part 9) - A Tale of Two Revolutions (2012)

America's Story (part 10) - Sergeant York (2012)

America's Story (part 11) - Sacajawea  (2012)

America's Story (part 12) - Death and Taxes (2013)

America's Story (part 13) - The Enola Gay (2013)

America's Story (part 14) - I Was a Male War Bride - the real story (2014)
     

America's Story (part 15) - World War 2: memories of North Africa (2014)

America's Story (part 16) - Our First 9/11  (2014)
  

America's Story (part 17) - The Last of the Doolittle Raiders (2015)
   

America's Story (part 18) - VE Day - 70 years ago (2015)

America's Story (part 19) - Trinity and "The Long Peace"  (2015)

America's Story (part 20) - Patton's Weather Prayer (2015)

--------------------------------------

--------------------------------------

Photo: Reagan 80/Wikipedia.com

Timeless Truths (part 6) - Magna Carta - 800 years and still going strong

Magna Carta/wikipedia.com

Timeless Truths explores, June 15, 1215 AD - a watershed year. And we still feel it effects in 2015. What happened 800 years ago?

In 1215, failed foreign policies and heavy taxation spurred an uprising of powerful English barons against King John. Under duress, this successor to his brother Richard I, the Lion Heart signed a document which put all future monarchs under the rule of law.

It was called the Great Charter. Perhaps it's better known for its Latin name, the Magna Carta. [reference:  Magna Carta - British History - HISTORY.com ]

And here's how it happened:

(reference: https://youtu.be/7xo4tUMdAMw )

The signing of the Magna Carta rippled throughout history, setting the basis for English Common Law, and inspiring the American Revolution as well as the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

The principles placed limits on what our government can do. Thus governments were to be in chains of their Constitution, not the people in chains to their government.  Politics shifted from a government of men to a government of laws.

And below is a lesson as to how the Magna Carta influenced the American government:

(reference:  https://youtu.be/Ca_kI948JUA )

As US President Abraham Lincoln echoed the Declaration of Independence, which was echoed by John Locke, which echoed the Magna Carta:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. 

....

that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

[reference: The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln ]

It's no wonder the Magna Carta is considered one of the Five Documents that Changed the World.

Indeed, the pen is mightier than the sword.

Happy 800 years!

----------------------------------
----------------------------------

Previous posts in series:

Timeless Truths (Part 1) - A Cup of Cold Water (2013)

Timeless Truths (part 2) - Love (2013)

Timeless Truths (part 3) - Hakuna Matata - No Worries? (2013)

Timeless Truths (part 4) - A Mother's Advice  (2013)

Timeless Truths (part 5): Always Assume Positive Intent (2014)

----------------------------------
----------------------------------

Magna Carta/wikipedia.com

CC (part 3) - Happy Bill of Rights Day

Wikipedia/We the People

The Bill of Rights, the first 10 Amendments to the US Constitution, were ratified on December 15, 1791.  [reference:  Bill of Rights Institute: Bill of Rights]

Our most cherished freedoms as Americans come from the Bill of Rights.  And they still are debated to this day.  For a good summary of them, check out the clip below:

(reference:  http://youtu.be/yYEfLm5dLMQ )

In the Book, His Tribe of One, from The Commander and the Chief series, these Bill of Rights are mentioned, as shown in the scene here:

The "Chief," Dr. Nova Orlovic, is collecting the major players for her search and recovery expedition for her missing husband, Admiral Quinn, which the world believes is dead.  She is accompanied by a long time friend of the family, Kaya Stillwater.

Nova's agent Lord Frederick Wise has just introduced her to Colonel Jack Sheffield as they are waiting for the Commander, Dr. Barrett.  Meanwhile they are discussing Nova's career change from a scientist to a lawyer.  (If you wish to know why ... well, you have to read the book. )

“Admit it, Doctor.” Wise smiled at her. “Scientists do run in your family.”

Nova skewed her lips. “But I don’t do science, anymore. Remember? I’m a lawyer now.”

“Really?” The Colonel looked surprised again. “I’d like to see your business card for that.”

And Nova delivered, producing the Law Offices of Orlovic, Lee, and Kim. Their logo had a quill resting in an inkbottle and an antique firearm framing an outline of the state of California. Below were the words: The price of liberty is eternal vigilance. “Our motto is a quote allegedly made by Thomas Jefferson. He wrote the Declaration of Independence as well as being our third president.”

Jack examined the card. “What’s with the feather and old gun?”

“Symbols of the Bill of Rights. The quill is Freedom of Speech.” Then Nova grinned. “But it’s the Second Amendment—the Right to Bear Arms—that gives teeth to ensure we keep the rest of our rights.”

“Oh, bite me.” The Colonel leered.

“Don’t.” Kaya glared at Jack, then resumed her knitting.

Jack flinched. The last woman to make him jump like that was a lion tamer, who cracked whips as foreplay.

“It’s okay, Colonel. Kaya is quite protective.” Then Nova added fondly, “She’s watched over me since my mother died when I was twelve.”

“It was your grandfather’s wish.” Kaya twirled some yarn about her turquoise-ringed fingers.

from:  The Commander and the Chief 
Book 1: His Tribe of One 
Part 1 - Admiral Connor Quinn, MIA 

Chapter 5 - Is there a doctor in the house?

And as for Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, here is a pithy tribute to this foundering father:

(reference:  http://youtu.be/w2l_kFICUCo )

In summary, Thomas Jefferson left America three main legacies:

*  Political Freedom
*  Religious Freedom
*  Intellectual Freedom

And most of all this warning, which is quite relevant in our day:

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

Thomas Jefferson

-----

His Tribe of One in an eBook form, and it can be sampled and purchased for:

NOOK devices at Barnes and Noble:  His Tribe of One

Kindle devices at amazon:  His Tribe of One (The Commander and the Chief Book 1) 

-----

For the latest news, check out:  S. K. Smith - The Commander and the Chief

Your readership is most appreciated!

--------------------
--------------------

For other posts in this series:

CC (part 1) - The Commander and the Chief: His Tribe of One (2014)

CC (part 2) - Universe in a Glass of Wine  (2014)

-----------------
-----------------

Picture from:  Wikipedia/We the People

PC Watch (part 3) - Too Weak to Live with Freedom?

Wikipedia/Free Speech Wall

The above picture is of the  Freedom of Speech Wall in Charlottesville, VA. Permanently inscribed on one segment of the wall is this text from the Bill of Rights, Amendment I:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
[reference:  Bill of Rights Transcript Text]

Free Speech vs PC

My motivation for this thread - PC Watch - is a reaction to the disturbing trend to silence free speech.

You may have heard the recent controversies in the news.  Someone says something offensive or has expressed an opinion - even one expressed or acted upon many years ago - that does not line up with the prevailing PC - Political Correctness.  What ensues is an orchestrated campaign of personal destruction to censor, boycott, or run a person out of his/her job. (This could be a subjects for many posts.)

That strikes me as wrong, wrong, wrong!

I agree inciting violence and harassment should not be tolerated and not be exempt.  But now, it seems, we are to never speak anything to offend anyone - especially those with a powerful grievance lobby.

What has happened to Freedom of Speech in the America I grew up in?

Are some groups not strong enough to hear diverse opinion; therefore anything that offends them must be silenced?  Hence, the obvious question is ...

Are we too weak to live with freedom?

Alan Charles Kors who is s a professor of history at the University of Pennsylvania makes this case:

(reference:  http://youtu.be/qZsQMv08FSY)

Transcript, Alan Charles Kors Recalls a Career Fighting for Free Expression on Campus

Below is a list of some of the points made in the clip above.

Princeton in the early 1960s:

* Professors (though mostly left leaning) did not see their task as producing clones in the classroom

* Diverse set of readings were given to students

* Students were told *not* to write what professor had wanted to hear  (can you imagine that now?!)

* The following groups coexisted at Princeton in the early 1960s and were not censored:
   - Gay Liberation
   - Campus Crusade for Christ
   - Maoists
   - New Age Leftists
   - Campus Republicans
   - Socialists

* Students were free to argue among themselves and offend others

* Students learned to talk to each other and humanize each other - and hence change minds

* The answer to horrible speech was bearing witness to your beliefs (hence more speech)

The fallout today of Political Correctness:

* Today we are paying a terrible price for the "comfort" of not offending anyone

* Double standards evolved when enforcing exemptions of free speech on some groups, but not others

Some conclusions:

* Due process of law should protect freedoms for all - especially those whose expressions are seen as "abhorrent"

* We are either all equally free or we are not free

* There is cause for optimism as long as we hold this belief in our spirit -

It's a Free Country!!!

Any thoughts? 

----------
----------

Reference of reading assignment for Princeton students as mentioned in the video clip above  -

Road to Serfdom:  The Illustrated Road to Serfdom

YouTube - http://youtu.be/mkz9AQhQFNY

----------
----------

Previous post in this series:

 PC Watch (part 1) - Political Correctness (2013)

PC Watch (part 2) - The South Park Offense (2013)


----------
----------

Photo from:  Wikipedia/Free Speech Wall

Pray4America (part 2) - FDR's prayer on D-Day

Normandy Landings

D-Day

- the Normandy Landings -

June 6, 1944

D-Day marked the start of the allied invasion into France, known as Operation Overlord, during World War Two. Since the date had not been determined until its final approval, D-Day was the date used for planning purposes. But the invasion plans all came together, commencing on June 6, 1944 ... and the rest is history.

My father-in-law was part of the overall invasion, landing a few days after D-Day. Since then much has been written about this critical time in the 20th century. And some blockbuster movies have been made to play out the drama of the invasion. (The Longest Day, Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, to mention a few.)

For a brief history on D-Day, feel free to check out a few of the resources below:

* National D-Day Memorial

* D-Day - June 6, 1944 - the United States Army

But before D-Day commenced, General Eisenhower addressed the troops, then made a request for prayer ...

in this message shown in the clip below:

https://youtu.be/rjlXH2I2Mes

" ... The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!
 
"I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!
 
"Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."
 
General Dwight D. Eisenhower
(Full text can be found here: General Eisenhower's Message - D-Day - June 6, 1944 - the United States Army)

If prayer was ever needed, it was needed then ...

As D-Day began and President Franklin Roosevelt broadcast his prayer to the American people:

" ... And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
 

"With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace, a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
 

"Thy will be done, Almighty God.
  

"Amen."
 

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

(Full text for the Presidents prayer can be found here: Franklin D. Roosevelt: Prayer on D-Day)

And prayer is needed even more today because ...

The enemy to freedom is not so overt or defined. The real enemy is spiritual and takes on many forms and contrives many plans to enslave and destroy us. We need wisdom to discern ...

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
 
Ephesians 6:12
(NIV)

And we - like soldiers - need special weapons to fight this enemy and get the victory:

¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
 

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
 
Ephesians 6:13-18
(NIV)

And may we rely on the help of God as our leaders and our nation had done on D-Day.  May this D-Day anniversary be a turning point.

So ....

Keep praying for America
for ...

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord ...
Psalm 33:12
(NIV)

-------------------
-------------------

Previous post in this series:

Pray4America (part 1) - National Day of Prayer (2012)

------------------
------------------

Posts on World War Two:

America's Story (part 4) - Christmas 1944, when we said NUTS to the enemy (2011)

America's Story (part 3) - Over There - 1917, 1941 (2011)

A kiss immortalized in August 14, 1945 (2010)

Remembering D-Day - June 6, 1944 (2010)

Pearl Harbor Day, 1941 - World War Two Soldiers Remembered (2009)


------------------
------------------


Photo from Wikipedia Commons: Normandy Landings

America's Story (part 1) - The Speech that redefined us, November 19, 1863

One hundred fifty years ago, Civil War broke out in the United States. In my opinion, this war was the worst war in our 235 + year history. It divided us as a people on many issues - slavery only one of them. The casualties - including both the Union and Confederate soldiers - were the greatest of any of our wars - even the American casualties during World War II - the worst war of the 20th century.

The song below give a sense of the intensity of the fighting during the Civil War:




The turning point in favor of the Union, some historians believe, was the Battle of Gettysburg. The causalities for both the Union and the Confederates was 51,000 in this one battle alone over three days of fighting (July 1 to July 3, 1863). Compare these causalities to the 58,000 deaths over 20 years in the Vietnam War (1955- 1975). Gettysburg was a terrible battle.

On November 19, 1863 - almost 150 years ago - Abraham Lincoln read a few words at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He spoke for only two minutes. But these few words redefined us as a people and became a balm to begin healing the wounds that had so grievously divided us.

Many voices have re-read this speech since then. The version below, eloquently read by Johnny Cash, displays iconic images in American history spanning four centuries - 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st.




Some rank this speech as one of the greatest speeches in American history, if not in the top ten of the greatest historic speeches of all time ... and we are still talking about. And this speech was first given by the 16th president of the United States on November 19, 1863.

The Gettysburg Address is part of America's Story, which is

to be continued ...

----------

Previous posts on similar subjects:

America in Decline?! (2011)

3 birthdays, 3 presidents, 3 centuries, 3 defining wars ... (2011)

Memorial Day - Do we know how much they suffered? (2010)

July 1776 & July 1863 (2009)

----------

Photo from:

Wikipedia Commons: Battle of Gettysburg

Of Seasons, Boat People, and Freedom ...

Fall begins with the autumnal equinox, this year September 22, 2009 at 5:18 pm EDT. Change of seasons evoke many memories. One that stands out happened when I was living and working on the West Coast.

I had made some casual conservation with my cubicle mate, John, about the changing seasons. John was a bright engineer, an immigrant from Vietnam. I was most surprised by his comment that he thought it was cold in the winter because the earth was farther from the sun.

How could someone so educated be ignorant about a basic fact? I had learned about the seasons in kindergarten. At my teacher's instructions, my mother had speared an orange with a pencil and rotated the citrus fruit at an angle in the light of a candle.

I pointed John to some websites, such as Seasons. They explained the earth rotated about a tilted axis, whereas in winter the sun's ray were less intense, the days shorter, hence contributing to a colder climate. In summer, the rays were more direct, more intense, the days longer, hence a warmer climate.

As I got to know John better, small bits of his personal history came to light. When growing up in Vietnam, he had lived under the communist regime of the post-Vietnam War. His family had to work all day in the rice fields just for the privilege of buying rice at a discount from the government. I wondered when his family had the time to make any money to buy this discounted rice.

John was one of the boat people. I found this out when he cheered at a news story about pirates that were gunned down on the seas. He commented that his boat was attacked by pirates while he was fleeing Vietnam. Later, he had spent two years on an island. Eventually, he came to America, got a college degree in engineering, married, and had a son, and was working right next to me.

Shelly, another engineer from Vietnam, worked a few cubicles over. One day she laughed, pointing to some discolored water in a clear container. "It reminds me of the urine we drank when we ran out of fresh water." Shelly was one of the boat people, like John.

While I was growing up watching "Star Trek" and learning facts about the universe and the solar system, John and Shelly had grown up under tyranny and survived a gutsy escape to freedom.

The Vietnam War was the bane of the baby-boomers. Yet, for as evil as America was supposed to be, many Vietnamese risked their lives to come here. Many came for political freedom, many for economic freedom. Yet, may we all find the greatest freedom of all:

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
John 8:36 (King James Version)


Related links:
Photo from everystock.com
early: everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=3114960