Sun coming up over New York City
School bus driver in a traffic jam
Starin' at the faces in her rearview mirror
Looking at the promise of the Promised Land
One kid dreams of fame and fortune
One kid helps pay the rent
One could end up going to prison
One just might be president
Only in America
Dreaming in red, white and blue
Only in America
Where we dream as big as we want to
We all get a chance
Everybody gets to dance
Only in America
Sun going down on an La. freeway
Newlyweds in the back of a limousine
A welder's son and a banker's daughter
All they want is everything
She came out here to be an actress
He was the singer in a band
They just might go back to Oklahoma
And talk about the stars they could have been
Only in America
Where we dream in red, white and blue
Only in America
Where we dream as big as we want to
We all get a chance
Everybody gets to dance
Only in America
Yeah only in America
Where we dream in red, white and blue
Yeah we dream as big as we want to
Take out a one dollar bill, and look at it. The one dollar bill you're looking at first came off the presses in 1957 in its present design. This so-called paper money is in fact a cotton and linen blend, with red and blue minute silk fibers running through it. It is actually material. We've all washed it without it falling apart. A special blend of ink is used, the contents we will never know. It is overprinted with symbols and then it is starched to make it water resistant and pressed to give it that nice crisp look.
If you look on the front of the bill, you will see the United States Treasury Seal. On the top you will see the scales for a balanced budget. In the center you have a carpenter's square, a tool used for an even cut. Underneath is the Key to the United States Treasury. That's all pretty easy to figure out, but what is on the back of that dollar bill is something we should all know.
If you turn the bill over, you will see two circles. Both circles, together, comprise the Great Seal of the United States. The First Continental Congress requested that Benjamin Franklin and a group of men come up with a Seal. It took them four years to accomplish this task and another two years to get it approved.
If you look at the left-hand circle, you will see a Pyramid. Notice the face is lighted, and the western side is dark. This country was just beginning. We had not begun to explore the West or decided what we could do for Western Civilization. The Pyramid is un-capped, again signifying that we were not even close to being finished. Inside the capstone you have the all-seeing eye, an ancient symbol for divinity. It was Franklin's belief that one man couldn't do it alone, but a group of men, with the help of God, could do anything.
"IN GOD WE TRUST" is on this currency. The Latin above the pyramid, ANNUIT COEPTIS, means, "God has favored our undertaking." The Latin below the pyramid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, means, "a new order has begun." At the base of the pyramid is the Roman Numeral for 1776.
If you look at the right-hand circle, and check it carefully, you will learn that it is on every National Cemetery in the United States. It is also on the Parade of Flags Walkway at the Bushnell, Florida National Cemetery, and is the centerpiece of most hero's monuments. Slightly modified, it is the seal of the President of the United States, and it is always visible whenever he speaks, yet very few people know what the symbols mean.
The Bald Eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons: First, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong, and he is smart enough to soar above it. Secondly, he wears no material crown. We had just broken from the King of England. Also, notice the shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on its own. At the top of that shield you have a white bar signifying congress, a unifying factor. We were coming together as one nation. In the Eagle's beak you will read, "E PLURIBUS UNUM", meaning, "one nation from many people".
Above the Eagle, you have thirteen stars, representing the thirteen original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we were coming together as one. Notice what the Eagle holds in his talons. He holds an olive branch and arrows. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace. The Eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows.
They say that the number 13 is an unlucky number. This is almost a worldwide belief. You will usually never see a room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But think about this: 13 original colonies, 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 13 stripes on our flag, 13 steps on the Pyramid, 13 letters in the Latin above, 13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum", 13 stars above the Eagle, 13 bars on that shield, 13 leaves on the olive branch, 13 fruits, and if you look closely, 13 arrows. And, for minorities: the 13th Amendment. I always ask people, "Why don't you know this?" Your children don't know this, and their history teachers don't know this. Too many veterans have given up too much to ever let the meaning fade. Many veterans remember coming home to an America that didn't care. Too many veterans never came home at all. Share this page with everyone, so they can learn what is on the back of the UNITED STATES ONE DOLLAR BILL, and what it stands for... Otherwise, they will probably never know...
These US patriotic crafts projects are for preschool, kindergarten and elementary school children. The crafts use materials found around the house, like paper, cardboard, boxes, string, crayons, paint, glue, etc.
Make a pinwheel or a windsock! Lot's of craft ideas!
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/patriotic/
First, let me make clear that I am not referring to a hysterectomy, or removal of the uterus, but a historectomy, or removal of our history.
Next, let me explain why this is especially critical for America. To do so, let me contrast America with France. The area we now call France was settled by Celtic peoples called Gauls in prehistoric times, hundreds or perhaps thousands of years B.C. The Romans under Caesar invaded and spread Roman customs and law and the Latin language, on which French is based. The last major addition was the invasion of the Franks, a Germanic tribe that settled northwestern France and gave the nation its name. This occurred roughly 1,500 years ago. That is, for a millennium and a half, approximately the same people have occupied roughly the same area. When we talk about France and the French, we know very well what and whom we mean. Despite all the wars and other changes of the last 1,500 years, France remains France. But what of America?
A small strip of the Atlantic coast was settled by Europeans in the late 1500s and early 1600s. A large chunk of the central continent was added with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and the Southwest was added in 1848 after the Mexican War. These huge areas were peopled by successive waves of immigrants from many lands, who largely displaced the Native Americans.
When we talk about America and Americans, we must specify what time we refer to, and which segment of the population we mean. Unlike older nations, America is a relatively recent invention. Its population shifted over time, and is still shifting because of continued immigration. Unlike France and many other nations, America is an idea.
To define America, one cannot merely refer to an ancient land with a predominantly stable population. No, to define America one must refer to the ideas and ideals on which it is based. But are we trying to preserve these ideas and hand them down to the next genera-tion? Or are we doing our best to eradicate these ideas from our collective memory? Are we attempting to induce national amnesia? Are we, in fact, performing a historectomy? That is, are we removing the basis of our nation?
When I went to grammar school a half-century ago, we saluted the flag every morning. We were taught patriotic songs for national holidays. And we enjoyed Christmas and Easter vacations, not winter and spring breaks. After all, the vast majority of Americans, and all of the founders, identified themselves as Christians. In junior high, I was required to memor-ize the Gettysburg Address, the Preamble to the Constitution, and the first and fourth verses of "The Star-Spangled Banner." If you want to learn how a house is constructed, first study the foundation.
In high school, I was required to take American History and Civics, not merely "social studies." We learned about the great people and great events of our history, and (to a much lesser degree) some of the unhappy events. We learned how a bill becomes law, and what powers the president and the Supreme Court have.
But more than that, I loved movies. I saw "The Story of Alexander Graham Bell," inventor of the telephone. I saw "Sergeant York," the true story of how a pacifist farmer was con-vinced that violent evildoers had to be opposed by force, then went on to win the Medal of Honor. I saw "They Died With Their Boots On," a highly fictionalized account of General Custer, but at least I learned that he played a key role in the Civil War, which is more than today's kids know.
Later I saw "Boys' Town," the story of Father Flanagan's orphanage. And of course there was "The Fighting Sixty-Ninth," depicting Father Duffy's role in this New York unit's World War I exploits. So when I passed his statue in Times Square, I may have been the only one on the tour bus who knew who he was - not bad for a Jewish kid who grew up in San Francisco.
But, you see, I was brought up to be an American.
Then there were the John Ford films of the West, where the U.S. Army was depicted in a sympathetic (some might say overly sympathetic) light. I saw depictions of Abe Lincoln and Woodrow Wilson. I was being entertained at the movies, but I was also being ex-posed to my country's past.
Contrast my upbringing with what today's kids are exposed to:
* Today's kids read history books and hear lectures that describe America's past as questionable at best, and evil or downright genocidal at worst.
* Today's kids mumble a few of the words to the first verse of the National Anthem at sports events. Forget about the fourth verse, the one that mentions (gasp!) God.
* Today's kids are taught that the founders were deists, not really Christians - that is, if religion is allowed to be mentioned at all.
* Today's kids are lucky to place the Revolution or the Civil War in the right century, much less the right decade.
* Today's kids identify Grant as the man on the $50 bill, not the man who led the Union to victory and thereby ended slavery.
* Today's kids will not find Admiral Ernest King, our chief of naval operations in World War II, in the Encyclopedia Britannica. They will find jazz guitarist B. B. King. One doesn't need an encyclopedia for living musicians; one needs it to learn about heroes of the past who bequeathed us our freedom. But Admiral King has been excised, along with uncounted other significant figures of our past.
* Today's kid's see movies depicting our leaders as scheming warmongers or even assassins (remember Oliver Stone's "JFK"?) and our military as sadistic morons and oppressors.
* Today's kids see clergy depicted as idiots or molesters, if they see them at all, and religion shown as an oppressive and destructive force, if it is referred to in any way.
* Today's kids, and even law students, are taught that the Constitution is a "living docu-ment." (Do you give it mouth-to-page respiration if it stops breathing?) That is, it has no fixed meaning, and means whatever a judge says it means today. In effect, kids are taught that we have no Constitution.
In short, the last generation of Americans has been taught little of the foundations of their country. And what they were taught was often negative. What they saw in movies only served to strengthen this negative impression.
No wonder they view America with ambivalence at best, and with open hostility at worst. Is John Walker an aberration, or just the tip of the iceberg? Only time will tell.
If you want to destroy a house, undermine the foundation. If you want to destroy a nation, do the same. If you want to debase people who are defined by ideas, destroy the ideas. If you want to bring down a society that is sustained by its history, perform a historectomy. But be aware that this can be a dangerous operation from which the patient may not recover
We rarely get a chance to see another country's editorial about us, the USA.
Editorial from Romanian Newspaper: When you think the US isn't thought well of all over the world, read this editorial from a Romanian Newspaper.
An Ode to America~
Why are Americans so united? They don't resemble one another even if you paint them! They speak all the languages of the world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations.
Some of them are nearly extinct, others are incompatible with one another, and in matters of religious beliefs, not even God can count how many they are. Still, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand put on the heart.
Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the army, the secret services that they are only a bunch of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts. Nobody rushed on the streets nearby to gape about.
The Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.!
After the first moments of panic, they raised the flag on the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national flag.
They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on every car a minister or the president was passing.
On every occasion they started singing their traditional song: "God Bless America!".
Silent as a rock, I watched the charity concert broadcast on Saturday once,twice, three times, on different TV channels. There were Clint Eastwood,Willie Nelson, Robert de Niro, Julia Roberts, Cassius Clay, Jack Nicholson, Bruce Springsteen, Sylvester Stalone, James Wood, and many others whom no film or producers could ever bring together.
The American's solidarity spirit turned them into a choir. Actually, choir is not the word. What you could hear was the heavy artillery of the American soul. What neither George W. Bush, nor Bill Clinton, nor Colin Powell could say without facing the risk of stumbling over words and sounds, was being heard in a great and unmistakable way in this charity concert.
I don't know how it happened that all this obsessive singing of America didn't sound croaky, nationalist, or ostentatious! It made you green with envy because you weren't able to sing for your country without running the risk of being considered chauvinist, ridiculous, or suspected of who-knows-what mean interests.
I watched the live broadcast and the rerun of its rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey player, who fought with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting a target that would have killed other hundreds or thousands of people.
How on earth were they able to bow before a fellow human?
Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put in a collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit which nothing can buy.
What on earth can unite the Americans in such a way? Their land? Their galloping history? Their economic power? Money?
I tried for hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases which risk of sounding like common places.
I thought things over, but I reached only one conclusion. Only freedom can work such miracles!
Pin the "Support America Ribbon" to your shirt to show your united stand against evil in the world and your resolve to pray for peace.
http://www.christiancrafters.com/prayforAMERICA.html
Have you ever wondered why the flag of the United States of America is folded 13 times when it is lowered or when it is folded and handed to the widow at the burial of a veteran?
Here is the meaning of each of those folds and what it means to you.
(1) The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life
(2) The second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.
(3)The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of all the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.
(4) The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.
(5) The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our Country, in dealing with other countries may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong."
(6) The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.
(7) The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.
(8) The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on Mother's Day.
(9) The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.
(10) The tenth fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.
(11) The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
(12) The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.
(13) When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nation's motto, "In God We Trust". After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today.
The next time you see a flag ceremony honoring someone that has served our country, either in the Armed Forces or in our civilian services such as the Police Force or Fire Department, keep in mind all the important reasons behind each and every movement. They have paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us by honoring our flag and our Country
http://www.airforcememorial.org/
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.com/
http://www.thevirtualwall.org/
http://www.usmemorialday.org/observe.htm
The labels are provided by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). While the labels are FREE, it would be appropriate to make a donation to this organization. After all, isn't a few buck donation worth your Freedom and our country for which these people fought?
http://www.vfw.org/help/support.shtml
We become a large town during the summers when our tourist population swells. But after Labor Day, we have a population of about five thousand in Bradley Beach, New Jersey. On this day, September 13, 2002, we stood in front of a World War I monument, in honor of those who perished and those who survived September 11, 2001. Members of the clergy spoke to the crowd and so did the mayor. We lit candles and cried together and shared stories about the day and how it affected us. Many had stories about friends, about family, who did not come home. Over and over, we heard the same refrain, "They just never came home that Tuesday." There were children of all ages, holding candles and flags. They were listening.
Later, when the memorial service was over, the children left the park to stand on the corner, and we stood around aching to do something more. We hugged. We talked. We told each other it would get better. But there were no smiles and there was no laughter.
Suddenly, we noticed horns honking up and down Main Street, as if a parade was passing through town. As if there was a celebration.
We couldn't imagine who would celebrate on a day like today.
And then we heard the children's chants. "Beep if you love America!" they shouted. Again and again. "Beep if you love America." They stood at a four-way intersection, on the curb, jumping up and down, waving their hands to get attention, holding the American flags in front of their chests, pleading, "Beep if you love America." And everyone did. The night air was filled with horns honking and people waving as the children jumped in the air, holding flags in front of them and shouting, louder and louder, "Beep if you love America."
Their energy galvanized the people standing there and those passing in the cars. Perhaps the drivers were coming from work or going shopping. Undoubtedly they had on their radios and were listening to the accounts coming in, lives saved, lives lost. And yet, there were youth on the corner and energy on the corner, shouting and waving over and over, "Beep if you love America."
It went on for a long time. The town resonated with honking horns.
People smiled from their car windows. We heard ourselves laughing with the children. We began to wave also to the passing cars. We let the children lead us that evening. Even though they had read the papers, looked at the television, watched the adults around them cry and vent their anger, even though they knew something really terrible had happened to their country, a new feeling had taken hold of them ? one they couldn't even explain to themselves. It had something to do with the flags they were holding. It had something to do with their country, America. It had something to do with their love for freedom.
That night, for a while, we let the children lead us and heal us.
"Beep if you love America," we roared.
And we knew America would hear us.
Reprinted by permission of Harriet May Savitz © 2001 from Chicken Soup for Soul of America by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Matthew E. Adams. All rights reserved.
I had a drug problem when I was a child and teenager. I was "drug" to church on Sunday morning. I was "drug" to church on Sunday night. I was "drug" to church on Wednesday night. I was "drug" to Sunday School every week, and I was "drug" to Vacation Bible School. I was "drug" to the family altar to read the Bible and pray. I was also "drug" to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents.
Those "drugs" are still in my veins, and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin. If more children had this "drug" problem, America would certainly be a better place.
[The following was extracted from Patriot Hearts, by the author, William T. Coffey. Patriot Hearts is an anthology of American patriotism, inspirational words and stories from American warriors, veterans, and patriots about the values and sacrifices that created the freedoms now enjoyed by all Americans.]
During the Battle of the Bulge, December, 1944, Hitler ordered a last gasp offensive designed to split the Allied Armies in two and destroy all Allied forces north of the line from Antwerp to Bastogne. To succeed, the attack required an initial breakthrough, subsequent widening of the gap, and seizure of fuel supplies and road networks at St.Vith and Bastogne. Despite reservations, the German commander, Field Marshal Karl von Rundstedt, followed his orders and launched the attack on December 16 while fog, rain, and snow inhibited Allied air support. With the assault, the 101st Airborne Division rushed to protect the vital road junction at Bastogne only to find itself completely surrounded and heavily outnumbered by German panzer forces. The German drive continued, forming a massive bulge in the Allied line, until the attack was blunted by the 2nd Armored Division. With the assault halted, the 4th Armored Division began punching a narrow relief corridor that finally reached Bastogne on December 26.
When General Troy Middleton dispatched the 101st Airborne on December 18, the only standing order that he issued to its commander, Major General Anthony McAuliffe, was "Hold Bastogne." This McAulliffe did despite a severe shortage of ammunition and ever increasing enemy pressure that continuously shrank his defensive perimeter.
On December 22, the Germans realized the 101st Airborne Division's dire straits. A group of two officers and two soldiers approached the lines of the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry under a white flag. They issued an ultimatum, signed by "The German Commander," that described the success of the German spearheads in the west and demanded the Americans to honorably surrender the encircled town within two hours or be annihilated by German artillery. The message was quickly forwarded to division where General McAuliffe was just leaving the headquarters to congratulate the defenders of a roadblock who had beaten back a German attack. He read the message, said "Nuts," threw it to the floor, and left. Upon returning, he was reminded about the ultimatum. After giving it some thought, he asked his staff how they thought he should reply. The senior operations officer commented that "That first remark of yours would be hard to beat." "What did I say?" asked McAuliffe.
When he was told, McAuliffe had a formal response typed on bond paper that read: "To the German Commander: Nuts! From the American Commander." The note was then delivered to the German officers waiting at the 327th under the command of Colonel Joseph Harper. Of course, the Germans were unfamiliar with the American slang and arrogantly demanded Harper explain the note's meaning. He did, and told them:
"If you don't understand what 'Nuts' means, in plain English it is the same as 'Go to hell.' I will tell you something else. If you continue to attack, we will kill every goddamn German that tries to break into this city."
Upon learning of the initial German success, Lieutenant Colonel Creighton Abrams, then a tank battalion commander in the 4th Armored Division, made the second most famous remark of the battle as his unit prepared to launch its counter-offensive, "They've got us surrounded again, the poor bastards."
http://www.raycharles.com/godblessamerica.swf
http://www.maylin.net/Fireworks.html