How To Raise An American

AAM: Abe Lincoln in Illinois

Covers the period from Lincoln's early years as a Kentucky woodsman until his election to the Presidency in 1860. Included are his first love, his marriage, the Illinois law practice and his debates with Stephen Douglas.

Westward Ho?

Were your great-great-grandparents pioneers?   Find out what their experience might have been like by watching a movie “Sarah, Plain & Tall Collection” which is based on a book girls especially will also like to read.  Another book about the pioneering experience:  “Pioneer Days: Discover the Past with Fun Projects, Games, Activities, and Recipes (American Kids in History Series)” by David C. King.

Old Glory

Does your family fly the flag?   You can get a very special flag that has been flown over the U.S. Capitol and a certificate from the Architect of the Capitol certifying that your flag was flown as requested. Anyone can do this by writing his Senator or Congressman.  If you mention in your letter that this flag was for a special occasion it will be mentioned on the certificate.  You can get the information about cost on your representative’s website, usually under constituent’s services.

Angels in Straw Hats

     

In April 2002, an F-4 tornado cut a 64-mile path across southeast Maryland leaving three dead, more than a hundred injured and $100 million in damages. La Plata, Maryland, a small 19th Century town of old Victorian homes and pretty streets lined with 30 foot oaks, found itself in the deadly tornado’s epicenter. In a matter of minutes, La Plata looked more like a war zone than a prosperous county seat with few of the city’s homes and buildings undamaged. Many were destroyed.
    The next morning, however, God answered a lot of prayers when groups of Amish men, farmers and carpenters from nearby St. Mary’s County, began arriving to pitch in. They put up tarps on battered roofs and cleared away the remnants of the town’s once towering trees that now blocked the main roads and side streets. The town would have been lost without their help in those first few days, but their biggest challenge lay ahead.
      Despite the terrible destruction everywhere else, in the center of town, one of the local landmarks was still standing proudly – the more-than-a-century-old Christ Episcopal Church. And though the old stone walls had inexplicably withstood the 158 mile an hour winds, most of the church’s Gothic-timbered roof was gone. That was a big problem. Replacing it was going to take a small miracle because the hundred-year-old timbers that were needed required special milling – a bit of a lost art in the age of Home Depot.
      When the time came to rebuild the church roof, it was the Amish, once again, who came to the rescue. They still knew the old ways, and within a few weeks these quiet men had milled the special timbers and rebuilt the roof better than before. When offers of payment were made, not one of the angels would take a dime. Instead, they simply said, “Pass it on."

'The View' on The Pledge: Being Totally Patriotic Means Not Being Patriotic? | NewsBusters.org

Link: 'The View' on The Pledge: Being Totally Patriotic Means Not Being Patriotic? | NewsBusters.org.

You wonder just how much is too much of "The View" on ABC. Justin McCarthy not only captured the Hugo Chavez part of yesterday's discussion, but transcribed a discussion of a topic Elisabeth Hasselbeck was allowed to bring up, teaching love of country to your children. She talked about teaching her daughter the Pledge of Allegiance, but allegiance wasn't Topic A.

Time travel with original documents

The National Archives has hundreds of interesting documents from its collection on its website.  Check out the flight plan of Apollo 13, Thomas Edison’s patent for the light bulb, the letter that Jackie Robinson wrote President Eisenhower about civil rights.   You can even walk step-by -step through the unusual meeting between President Nixon and Elvis.   www.archives.gov

Dinner Table Debates: Free Speech Isn’t Always Free

Unlike in  many countries, America’s guarantee of freedom of speech protects the media – entertainment and news – from nearly all government censorship or interference.  But what happens when the media uses its power irresponsibly – for example, when it constantly portrays America in a negative light or  puts “getting the scoop” ahead of national security.  Begin the discussion by reading the First Amendment   Then get to the heart of the matter with these questions:
• What do you think the Founding Fathers had in mind when they wrote the First Amendment?  Did they believe there should never be any censorship of the press under any circumstances?
• Do you think the government has a right to place limits on free speech?  And if so when?  What about crying  "Fire!"  without cause in a  crowded theater or exposing top secret national security programs?
• Does free speech mean you can say anything you want in music, like profanity, for example?  Does it mean a movie can show any kind of violence or sexual behavior without restrictions?
• How would they ensure that media is free but responsible in its actions?

Tip of the Day: Great American Potluck

Want to make a recipe that your immigrant forefathers might have brought from the Old Country?   Check out such recipes on the Library of Congress’ Great American Potluck.   You can even add your family’s favorite to the Library’s collection.  Then celebrate your family history with an entire meal of Old World dishes.

A Christmas Story

This delightfully funny holiday gem tells the story of Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsly) a 1940's nine-year-old who pulls out all the stops to obtain the ultimate Christmas present.

Tip of the Day: Gutsy girls!

Make sure your daughter knows about the amazing women in American history.   Some books they will enjoy include “A is for Abigail” by Lynne Cheney and a collection of books about “Outrageous Women" in various times published by Jossey-Bass.   Also fun for family listening--an audio version of Cokie Robert’s "Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation”