The Story of the Star Spangled Banner

Written by Daniel J. Goevert


The future ofrepparttar young United States looked bleak asrepparttar 145900 summer of 1814 entered its final weeks. The “Second War for American Independence”, often calledrepparttar 145901 “War of 1812”, had taken a perilous turn forrepparttar 145902 upstart Americans. On August 19, British warships sailed up Chesapeake Bay and captured Washington D.C. in only five days. President Madison and other government officials barely escapedrepparttar 145903 city beforerepparttar 145904 Redcoats set fire torepparttar 145905 US Capitol,repparttar 145906 White House, and numerous public buildings. As if by divine intervention, a torrential rainstorm struck just in time to saverepparttar 145907 city from total destruction.

From Washington,repparttar 145908 British planned a massive attack on Baltimore. Incidental torepparttar 145909 events leading up torepparttar 145910 assault, American physician William Beanes was taken prisoner by a British scout party. Fearing for his wellbeing, a few ofrepparttar 145911 good doctor’s friends sent a respected Georgetown lawyer named Francis Scott Key to negotiate his release. Once on boardrepparttar 145912 British flagship, Key amiably persuadedrepparttar 145913 commanding officer to free Dr. Beanes, but because both Americans had observed preparations forrepparttar 145914 military operation against Baltimore, they were temporarily detained behindrepparttar 145915 British fleet.

Atrepparttar 145916 mouth of Baltimore’s harbor sat Fort McHenry. No invasion force could takerepparttar 145917 city without passing byrepparttar 145918 imposing fortification. Knowing full wellrepparttar 145919 British were coming,repparttar 145920 determined Fort McHenry defenders unfurled an exceptionally large American flag, to proudly demonstrate their resolve. Sewn fromrepparttar 145921 finest wools,repparttar 145922 30 foot by 42 foot banner was visible for miles.

At 7 o’clock onrepparttar 145923 morning of September 13, 1814,repparttar 145924 British naval bombardment of Fort McHenry commenced. The American garrison, personified by their enormous flag, stood ready to facerepparttar 145925 enemy. The fierce bombing continued all day, and intorepparttar 145926 night.

Our Judicially Created Banana Republic

Written by J.J. Jackson


Afterrepparttar completely unfounded claims last week thatrepparttar 145856 government hasrepparttar 145857 right to seize our land and give it to another private individual inrepparttar 145858 name of higher tax receipts, I suppose I am not shocked to hear thatrepparttar 145859 Supreme Court has ruled that it is wrong to displayrepparttar 145860 10 commandments within a courthouse. That doesn’t mean that I accept it however. In fact it is imperative for all Americans that they understand how heinous this ruling is and how it continues to propagate an erosion ofrepparttar 145861 basic foundations of our Republic.

Despite ramblings fromrepparttar 145862 lunatics that would proclaim that God and even more broad concepts of religion have no place within our government all good Americans must stand up and fight against this blatant usurpation of power fromrepparttar 145863 people by tyrants ofrepparttar 145864 court. It is time that Americans learnrepparttar 145865 truth. Andrepparttar 145866 truth is that this charade perpetrated today is an effort by those that do not respect this nation to destroy it from within. This act is of treason againstrepparttar 145867 United States, and I will call it such and say so proudly. For these Justices of our Supreme Court namely Stevens, Breyer, Ginsburg and Souter along with various accomplices in either Justices Kennedy or O’connor have rewrittenrepparttar 145868 Constitution twice in less than a week and must be held accountable for their actions.

The proper action is to impeach these judges; every last one of them. For some those words may seem harsh. But I have a very important ally in my beliefs and his name is General and President George Washington.

Despiterepparttar 145869 claims of those who seekrepparttar 145870 destruction of America and their accomplices onrepparttar 145871 court about how government even mentioning God constitutes an “establishment” of religion we see that our first President did not agree. In fact he tells us, specifically what our duty as Americans is. Specifically he said that it was to recognize Almighty God. And not only did he say this, but BOTH houses of Congress agreed. Here arerepparttar 145872 complete words of his address declaringrepparttar 145873 first national day of Thanksgiving:

“Whereas it isrepparttar 145874 duty of all nations to acknowledgerepparttar 145875 Providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint committee requested me to commend torepparttar 145876 people of United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful heartsrepparttar 145877 many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness, now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursdayrepparttar 145878 26th day of November next, to be devoted torepparttar 145879 service of that great and glorious Being, Who isrepparttar 145880 beneficent Author of allrepparttar 145881 good that was, that is, or will be.” (October 3, 1789)

It is inconceivable that with this plain and clear language that anyone except those so desirous of absolute power overrepparttar 145882 people could even attempt to argue againstrepparttar 145883 language. It shows in my opinion how boldrepparttar 145884 enemies of this nation have become.

It is completely without merit to argue that onrepparttar 145885 above date in 1789 those who were alive whenrepparttar 145886 Constitution was written and who supported it did not understand fully that what they were doing was in accordance withrepparttar 145887 Constitution andrepparttar 145888 first amendment. And because it is inconceivable that they did not knowrepparttar 145889 words many of them helped to pen we must believe that what they did which was to fully and wholly endorse a government sanctioned display of religion that such a display is fully and wholly withinrepparttar 145890 intent ofrepparttar 145891 founders andrepparttar 145892 Constitution.

But President Washington was not done talking about religion, God and America and how they were intertwined. He went on to talk about such topics in his farewell address as well. He said:

“The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exaltrepparttar 145893 just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you haverepparttar 145894 same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together. The independence and liberty you possess arerepparttar 145895 work of joint councils and joint efforts, of common dangers, sufferings, and successes.” (George Washington's Farewell Address)

Yes, that’s right. With “slight shades of differences” we indeed do all haverepparttar 145896 same religion forrepparttar 145897 most part save those seeking to impose their irreligious beliefs upon Americans by striking any reference to God or religion they do not find acceptable from our public lives. Even our first President was smart enough to see this was notrepparttar 145898 intent ofrepparttar 145899 Constitution. So what is so wrong with public displays of religion again?

At bestrepparttar 145900 irreligious can only produce a clause by Thomas Jefferson citing “a wall of separation between Church & State” But what they do not speak of is what that phrase was in reference to. The reference was towards only thatrepparttar 145901 Baptists were concerned thatrepparttar 145902 first Amendment did not significantly protect religious establishments fromrepparttar 145903 interference of government. Again, it isrepparttar 145904 same message that has been used to properly definerepparttar 145905 “establishment” clause time and again and that is that government is prohibited from physically controlling a church. It was not in reference to government recognizing its religious roots.

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