Election Day 2010

Today, Tuesday, November 2, 2010 is Election Day in the United States.  I live in a state which has experienced voter fraud.  Nevada has had a slew of deceased voters return for one last hurrah.  How ghoulish, and even appropriate for an election following so closely after Halloween.  This is still a democratic society, if I have anything to do with it, and I encourage people to do two things at this very point in time: know what you want, and act upon it.  I know many who simply "don't follow politics," and others who vote like their parents.  Either way, someone else is making the decision.  I'm of sound mind, one I believe God gave to me to use, and prefer to exercise independent thought.  I prefer to think critically.  Where once I was in love with ideas, now I am more interested in action, in implementation.  Something may sound great, but how does it become a reality?  Does it work, once it's out there?  Agree or disagree with me; I wish we'd part ways as friends.  I learned long ago how to connect with people, following an angsty adolescence in which I actually hated my fellow man.  Please, know that hate is a terrible waste of time and a pain in the heart.  Find common ground.  I do reserve special hate for terrorists, for those who will never hear reason and are bent upon the destruction of innocents.  But we are a nation of many different peoples, races, creeds, religions, and ideas.  Can we come together as Americans, or are we too interested in serving ourselves?  This is a government created to be of the people, by the people, and for the people.  I still believe in the Constitution, now more than ever, and hope that our country can be a beacon of hope for a long time to come. 

two anniversaries

The twelve articles of amendment were adopted by Congress on this day, September, 25, 1789.  I remember having to memorize and recite the Preamble to the Constitution for my eighth grade history class, but a child of 13 was kinda not expected to fully grasp the certain inalienable rights of man.  The amendments are cited as rights, all the time.  I believe that knowing our founding principles and developing a discerning ear to ensure that things aren't taken out of context, are as important now in our everybody-sue-everybody world as they were when the documents were drafted.  I'm a deep roots kind of person: I like to get to the heart of the issue, no matter how overboard I go with my own dialogue, and seek simplicity.  The shades of gray, or smoke and mirrors, in the theory of subjective reality, are the detractors which have derailed us as a society.

Article the first ... After the first enumeration required by the first article of the Constitution, there shall be one Representative for every thirty thousand, until the number shall amount to one hundred, after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress, that there shall be not less than one hundred Representatives, nor less than one Representative for every forty thousand persons, until the number of Representatives shall amount to two hundred; after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress, that there shall not be less than two hundred Representatives, nor more than one Representative for every fifty thousand persons.




Article the second ... No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.



Article the third ... Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.



Article the fourth ... A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.



Article the fifth ... No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.



Article the sixth ... The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.



Article the seventh ... No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.



Article the eighth ... In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.



Article the ninth ... In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.



Article the tenth ... Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.



Article the eleventh ... The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.



Article the twelfth ... The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.



Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, Speaker of the House

John Adams, Vice-President of the United States and President of the Senate



Attest John Beckley, Clerk of the House of Representatives

Sam. A. Otis Secretary of the Senate

*I would like to take a moment and reflect upon another important item in our history, related closely to our rights as Americans.  Women were granted the right to vote in August 1920, which was 90 years last month.  I do believe in women's suffrage and women's lib, and I also believe that women were made different from men, and bring something wonderful to the world by genuinely being women.  Our sisters before us fought and lobbied diligently for the right to be heard.  Please ladies, vote.
 

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

I had the pleasure of seeing a Hollywood blockbuster star portray a real human being in the film The Pursuit of Happyness.   I am writing this blog to encourage people and rally the American spirit within each heart.  So it is that I would love a recent film depicting the rags-to-riches biography of a man who lost everything but his son and his dream.  The United States was founded on dreams, dreams won over by blood and toil.  My family has been on this continent for 400 years, so let me ask you if fighting for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness isn't in my blood?   We have so very much to be thankful for as Americans, as citizens of one of the few nations on earth to be truly "free."  This is the place where a person, irregardless of race, gender, religion, or creed can go after their dream.   We are a country of risk takers, and we are a country which still attracts those who have been oppressed in their own lands. 

I thought about writing a blog entry for September 11th, but then I do not need that day to express what we all felt.  I encourage you to open your hearts and feel, to stay in the awareness of, what it means to have your rights and way of life nearly taken away.  Terrorism isn't necessarily about death: terrorism is a threat, an "our way or else," which is exactly why the United States of America was founded.  We are living in a safe haven for freedom from tyranny.  We are living in a place where a man and his young son, who have nothing, can hold these truths dear and rise above. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bklNWWoJyzE&feature=related
Please copy and paste this clip's URL into your browser and watch. 

Tenacious

I would like, very much, to discuss the founding document of our country.  We are a nation divided at this time in our history, just as we have been torn on issues in the past.  I would like to add that this country was founded by immigrants and descendants of immigrants.  What's so great about freedom?  I've begun to scratch the surface with this blog.  One of the most important founders, Thomas Jefferson, had a separate family with a slave woman, and upon his death was so riddled with debts that he could not free everyone.  The "founding fathers," were a group of people who believed that slavery would eventually come to an end.  I am speaking of this issue, because I do, with all of my heart, contend that every person is created equal under God.  Enslaving another person, keeping them under one's heel so to speak, does not match the right of equality for all.  It is not what you have or what your status might be: it is the content of your character which is your value.  This is how men are not equal: character matters.

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
-The Preamble to the Constitution

The word "tenacious" was given to me by my friend, Geri, to speak to my relentless clinging to morales and ideals.  It is a compliment to be considered tenacious for standing my ground: integrity is a very important thing.  Standing one's ground and following through, being accountable, are rare things these days, but ordinary people can act upon integrity and be considered heroic.  The founders of this great country said, "Enough!" and took their desire for freedom to the next level.  I'm speaking of everyone who joined the fight, not just the fellows whose names are signed at the bottom of the paperwork. 

"In the Spirit of Our Gallant Fathers"

I have been looking for a way to tie-in the rallying of my family's spirits by the recovery of my Uncle Bill with my writings on patriotism.  A person of charisma, of a certain manner of engaging an audience, may indeed influence emotion and, in some cases, a call to action.  A good leader could do that, even a reluctant war veteran and seemingly quiet farmer like our hero. 

Parson Weems claims in his biography of Francis Marion that none of Marion's brothers fought for the cause.  No, no, he insists, they contributed to society as farmers, etc.  Common sense would tell you that the Marion children were told the stories of what had happened to their family in France, indeed the whole of the French community, from the original eighty families which crossed the Atlantic and settled in Charleston proper, all had the same misfortune.  It is the perseverance that a person learns, and carries in their heart, which becomes courage in the necessity of survival. 

French Huguenot Church in the French quarter of Charleston

I once heard that in order to survive in a life-threatening situation you must do, and not think. We all admire those who seem so courageous, but the humblest of responses is "I did what I had to do." So simple, and as applicable today as in the time of Francis Marion, and the other patriots I have discussed in this blog.  Indeed, these men of war were not the only ones with passion in their hearts.  Simms, in his biography, quotes a letter written by Issac Marion, brother of Francis, who resided in the community of Little River.  Skirmishes were flaring up between the British and the colonials, and Issac was asked to dispatch news of the battle of Lexington (Spring 1775) to what was then a committee of community elders, to warn that the dangers of war with England were very real.  He also made it clear where his feeling lied when he wrote,

"I request FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR COUNTRY, AND THE WELFARE OF OUR LIVES, LIBERTIES, AND FORTUNES, you'll not lose a moment's time.." 

Issac Marion, in speaking of "your country," and the importance of holding on to "our lives, liberties, and fortunes," was guilty of treason.  A Tory would say that South Carolina was a colony of England solely, not a separate and free country.  Issac was no Tory: he believed in freedom just as strongly as his brother.  The reply Issac received was swift action: Georgetown and Charleston were quickly notified, and a meeting of the Continental Congress was called to decide on the pertinent question:

remain loyal to England or go to war.

Benjamin Franklin's call the cause

"The actual commencement of hostilities against this Continent by the British troops, in the bloody scene of the 19th of April last, near Boston--the increase of arbitrary imposition from a wicked and despotic ministry--and the dread of insurrections in the Colonies--are causes sufficient to drive an oppressed people to the use of arms. We, therefore, the subscribers, inhabitants of South Carolina, holding ourselves bound by that most sacred of all obligations, the duty of good citizens to an injured country, and thoroughly convinced, that, under our present distressed circumstances, we shall be justified before God and man, in resisting force by force--do unite ourselves, under every tie of religion and honor, and associate as a band in her defence,

against every foe--hereby solemnly engaging, that, whenever our Continental and Provincial Councils shall deem it necessary, we will go forth, and be ready to sacrifice our lives and fortunes to secure her freedom and safety. This obligation to continue in force, until a reconciliation shall take place between Great Britain and America, upon Constitutional principles--an event which we most ardently desire. And, we will hold all those persons inimical to the liberty of the Colonies, who shall refuse to subscribe to this association."

South Carolina's version of Ben Franklin's snake

I know that the screenwriters and directors of The Patriot played up the reluctant spirit of the colonials to sign up for war with a fearsome enemy, but Simms found that Marion was not a fine debater, and nor did he cast a vote for "nay."  He hated the British, his own dealings with them aside, for what they'd done in Boston and for how oppressive they were.  Deep in his heart, indeed in the hearts of each of his siblings, dwelt the longing to be free.  They did what they had to do.

Brother Bill

We nearly lost our beloved Bill Barnwell, my dad's best friend from NC State design school and my mom's big brother, on Tuesday July 13, 2010 to a heart attack.  I have not blogged much lately for lack of interest, and for some time my heart was in my throat for Bill's journey from ambulance ride to quadruple by-pass surgery.  Bill was named for his father, who was a great storyteller.  This gift for engaging people is something which comes easily for my Uncle Bill, and I would like to dedicate a good bit of the spirit of my research and writing about the family to him.  He is, for all of him, a blessing in our lives.  There is no doubt that his survival over the past 2 weeks is a miracle. 

I love you, Uncle Bill.  This one's for you.

p.s. Jarvis has lost over 20 lbs since these pictures at my wedding were taken.

Patriots: the Carolina Gamecock

Thomas Sumter (1734-1832) was one tough fellow.  He outlived all of my other patriots in this segment, surving to his 97th year!  He was the son of a Welsh immigrant, who settled in Virginia.  He was gifted in diplomacy, and grew to work well with the Cherokee Nation, along with his friend and fellow Virginian Brigadier General Joseph Martin, Jr.  I believe that the company hired to write the spoiler for The Patriot left out Martin's name in the list of men who inspired the film's hero.  Both Thomas and Joseph learned a great deal from the Cherokee, having a taste for warfare over the quiet and peaceful life of a planter.  Each fought first in the French and Indian War, and later in the Revolutionary War. 

The story goes that at the end of the Cherokee Campaign Thomas Sumter went with a Cherokee chief, Henry Timberlake, an interpreter, and a servant to the Overhill villages of the Cherokee Nation, at the request of the Chief.  Chief "Old Hop" lead them to the villages in the cold, to prove to them that the Cherokee and the British were at peace.  The journey itself cost them for provisions and later horses to get back to Virginia, and the bill was footed by Thomas.  He went to London briefly, and then took a boat to South Carolina.  He asked the British army for reimbursement for his money spent in the Cherokee Campaign, but instead they locked him in jail.  His friend, Joseph Martin, came to see him, and slipped him some money and a Cherokee tomahawk.   Did Thomas Sumter raise hell and escape from the jail, or did he pay the bill and walk out free?  Where facts are few, it's best to use your imagination.  I see it as one of those "choose your own adventure" novels.  But you must remember, by this time, Thomas was fluent in the Cherokee dialects and warfare.  He knew how to use that tomahawk.  He and Joseph Martin would meet again 30 years later, and Thomas would repay him.

Brigadier General Joseph Martin, Jr.

Thomas Sumter married a wealthy widow, just as Benjamin Martin did in The Patriot, and had several businesses and plantations.  His neighbor?  Francis Marion. 

I would like to portray Thomas Sumter as a spirited, no-holds-barred type of soldier.  He is, afterall, the original gamecock.  Lord Cornwallis himself would call Sumter his "greatest plague" because Sumter came at him with all of his might, unhindered by his own small stature. 
"Tho he be little, he be fierce."  -Shakespeare
Here was the man who rose to the rank of General, and commanded the militias which drove Cornwallis out of South Carolina and into the coast of Virginia, to Yorktown, where Cornwallis was forced to surrender. 

Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown

Thomas, and later his son, would serve in Congress and as a Senator in South Carolina.  I worked at the fort in the mouth of Charleston's harbor, which was named for him, and in his grandchildren's lifetime would host the beginning of the Civil War.  I am not related to the Old Gamecock, but 2 outta 5 ain't bad.