Category Archives: history

Thomas Jefferson and Guns

Posted on by October 3, 2015

English_flintlock_blunderbussI know, we’ve seen a lot of carnage and incidents about firearms lately. Now there’s a hue and cry for more gun laws. All in the name of protecting the citizens, of course. Even though the statistics clearly indicate that more laws don’t reduce crime with guns or violence (see Chicago and Baltimore for example).

I know many think that he’s just an old fuddy-duddy, but here’s what Thomas Jefferson said about guns:

“A militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves. They include all men capable of bearing arms. To preserve liberty it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms and be taught alike how to use them.” read more

U. S. History Patriotic Artwork

Posted on by October 2, 2015

When I retired and closed my law office a few years ago, I had to bring my office artwork home. That included about 8 or 10 beautiful patriotic oil paintings, reproductions, art posters, and even plaster busts of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. And a full sized American flag on a pole.

Our home already had its own artwork on nearly every available wall, and this artwork didn’t really lend itself all that well to a family residence. So all the artwork was just stacked up near a wall in the back room. I couldn’t stand to part with such lovely pieces which I had become so accustomed to at work. So what to do? It can’t continue to still just languish there where it is! read more

George Washington Learns Rules of Civility

Posted on by October 1, 2015

GW RulesWhen George Washington was a young lad, his father, Augustine, wanted to make sure George learned good penmanship. He hired a tutor to help with this challenge. The tutor taught George writing by having George mark down some sentences in his best script while the tutor recited several directions he referred to as “The 110 Rules of Civility and Conversation in Company and Conversation.”

So what do you know, but George also learned how to act properly among his friends and neighbors at an early age. All while he learned good penmanship skills. He not only had very good handwriting all of his life, but he had people skills which endeared him to his soldiers, neighbors, and fellow countrymen. read more