Freedom in America

When I read stories like this, Vietnamese in Iowa: Freedom worth years of lean living, separation
I'm reminded of why Ronald Reagan called our nation the "shining city on the hill".

I'm also reminded of our responsibilities to maintain the city and the hill. Repair the walls, pull the weeds and retake the ground that was given up.

For all of her struggles, Vietnamese immigrant Nga Nguyen had this to say:

The terror on the beach, years of lean living and family separation was worth it, because of one thing.

"Freedom," Jennifer said.

Snow shoveling stories

This story, Walking in the Snow, reminded me of a couple of experiences I've had through the years.

One heavy snow I shoveled my driveway and sidewalks. I then went to a widow's house down the block and shoveled her out. In the middle of that task, a neighbor joined in and helped me. We then finished her driveway and saw another neighbor and joined in their labor. And then we found another in need next door.

At the end, it was maybe 6 neighbors that had joined forces and shoveled out widow's, retiree's, and single parent's driveways and sidewalks.

It was a good thing that it didn't snow for a while after because I couldn't move for a week.

Another time was the first winter in our present house. Our elderly neighbor was a little grumpy towards the young couple (us) that moved in next door. The first snow, I shoveled her driveway. I got caught when she opened her garage door to bring out her snow blower. I refused any payment but I was the happy recipient of some homemade bread later that day. I snuck over earlier on a couple of other snows that winter, and we became good friends.

It's times like these, a large snow fall, flood, or major storm, when we find out who our true neighbors are. People who work together for a common good and reciprocate just because.

H/T to David at The War on Guns

Coordinated Illumination - Wayne, Henry and others

Over at Coordinated Illumination is a post of the attitude of John Wayne

John Wayne became the embodiment of what it means to be an American.
The ethos he portrayed was the essence of America in the 20th Century.

John Wayne described it this way

“I won’t be wronged, I won’t be insulted, and I won’t be laid a hand upon. I don’t do these things to other men and I expect the same respect out of them.”

The history of the Culpepper flag

The Culpeper Don't Tread On Me Flag reportedly was first used as the banner for a group of about one hundred minutemen in Culpeper County, VA who formed part of Colonel Patrick Henry's First Virginia Regiment of 1775. In October-November 1775, three hundred such minutemen, led by Colonel Stevens, assembled at Culpeper Court House and marched for Williamsburg. Their unusual dress alarmed the people as they marched through the country. The words "Liberty or Death" were in large white letters on the breast of their hunting shirts. They had bucks' tails in their hats and in their belts, tomahawks and scalping knives.

And a few quotes from Patrick Henry

On the balance of power

"Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense?"

For more go to John Wayne, Patrick Henry and All of Us