Hear, hear! Thank you, both.

I just submitted your comment here as a "best of,"
and Thanks Much! -- john

Thanks Ducky; for laying out the story of Mrs Job and the arraignment of Captain Whiting. I was aware of that side of the story, but thanks for sharing it here.

I remember Pepperell well. My family frequently went there to visit relatives. My cousin is a Shattuck and still farms in the area. The cemetery has tons of Shattucks, Grays, Blood's buried there. My parents, grandparents, great grandparents and going back are all buried there now. The Shattucks in Massachusetts actually go back to about 1640. Colonel Prescott of Bunker Hill fame is laid to rest in Pepperell as well.

I still contemplate and marvel at the will and determination of what it takes to face tyranny at the real possibility of losing your life. It may be all too close a decision for us with the way things are. How did they put it in the Lord of the Rings? You cannot chose the times you live in, but it is how you choose to use your time here. It is never hopeless.

Thanks for sharing your story! You have some very special people as ancestors, Flootus5.
That book on Job Shattuck looks wonderful--thank you for recommending it. I don't know if you've heard this, but Mrs. Job Shattuck was quite a woman. She and another woman named Prudence Wright played an important role one evening after April 19, 1775 (the day our Revolutionary War started, with the battles at Lexington and Concord, and all along Battle Road). They and 30-40 other women in Groton and Pepperell dressed in their (then) war-attending husbands' and brothers' clothes, took whatever muskets/flintlock pistols, farm implements and lanterns they had, and patrolled the town of Pepperell, in anticipation of a British patrol which was said to be delivering sensitive information gathered by Tory spies.
These women gathered in the woods on both sides of the bridge over the Nashua River, and waited quietly. They had no idea how many Redcoats to expect, and rumors of mass slaughters were circulating through the colonies. Most of these women left their sleeping children unattended in their homes, to be there that night.
After a period of time, the women heard horses approaching. Prudence and Mrs. Job Shattuck stepped out in front of the approaching men, and ordered them off their horses. It was Capt Leonard Whiting, a Redcoat captain, and either Samuel or Thomas Cummings, one of Prudence's brothers. As Capt Whiting raised his pistol on Prudence, her brother said "That is my sister Prudence, and she would wade through blood for the cause of liberty!" The other women stepped into the light, out of the woods, and the men realized they were surrounded. Once off their horses, the women searched them and found the incriminating papers in Capt Whiting's boots. The women took them into custody, turned them over to authorities, and submitted the papers to The Committee of Safety.
This is the kind of stuff these people were made of. As Lord Hugh Percy (of the Royal Marines) said, after having seen the colonists in action on April 19th, "They have men amongst them who know very well, what they are about."
Our role now, if we want to keep (actually, regain) the liberty those people helped to win for us, is to work to earn it. And I think we do so in part by learning our heritage and sharing it with others, so they can wake up, too, and help change our culture for the better.

Thanks, johnpe1. The story of April 19, 1775, is one that I tell, as a Project Appleseed volunteer at our monthly Appleseed events during lunchtime. (The rest of the weekend is spent on rifle marksmanship training.)

WoW! . those folks who made us a country were
tougher than tough. . we're soooooo fortunate!!! -- j

well said, Ducky!!! -- j

We are American's and should have pride in our country. I am sick of all of the other nationality prides. Call me racist if you want but America is based on all races and immigrants to assimilate into America, not change America!!!!!

well said, sir!!! -- j

I thought that the "advisers" criticized the theme
"American Pride" -- which I thought was bad. -- j

Pretty sad. I began growing up in Winchester, Mass, right next door to Lexington. In High School, I used to ride my ten speed over to the Lexington Green and the Concord bridge. I spent hours contemplating the events of 1775 and what it means to risk your life in defiance of tyranny. I was fascinated with the mindset of that kind of dedication.

Having absorbed some of the effects of that contemplation and seeing where Massachusetts was heading, I resolved to leave while in High School. I did this initially by going to college in New Hampshire. This was in 1973. New Hampshire was very different then from what it has and is becoming and the motto of "Live Free or Die" played a role. I then resolved to move West seeking more freedom and did so in 1977 by going to college again in Arizona.

No regrets, but after 38 years, I see the crap catching up in the West.

But along the way I learned that an ancestor of mine played a role in the birthing of this nation. He was a patriot from the Groton-Pepperell Mass, area and was present at so many of the major events of the time. He was in the French and Indians Wars with an expedition to maritime, Canada, was there in the call to arms to Lexington, and was actually just as important a figure in Shay's Rebellion in Massachusetts as was Daniel Shay himself. It was my ancestors treatment in incarceration for the pre-Constitution Shay's rebellion that set the tone for what was incorporated into the Constitution regarding cruel and unusual punishment.

I learned this about old Job Shattuck from a recent book written by a comtemporary relative of mine - Gary Shattuck. Here it is:

http://garyshattuck.tateauthor.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Captain-J...

This revived a certain amount of pride in my origins and the history of the area surrounding the Revolutionary War period. Including Lexington.

To see these teachers taking these attitudes despite the opportunity to encourage this same pride in the history of your community, is just plain sad. Those kids should be encouraged and applauded. It is absolutely what it is all about.

John, I don't think the criticism was stupid, it was the fact that they considered renaming the dance that was stupid!!!

I'm glad to see they reversed themselves on this occasion, but really, the next time this silly but about "not excluding other nationalities" is thrown up, it should be demanded that all St. Pat's Day, Cinco de Mayo celebrations and all currently-observed Muslim holidays also be cancelled. Otherwise, they're offending Americans by saying that everyone else's culture but ours, is "cultural," and worth celebrating.

And here's another point I'd like to make. America is about an idea--the residents and school administrators in Lexington should know this, probably better than any other place in this country. Lexington is where, at dawn on April 19, 1775, the Redcoat soldiers fired without orders, into the backs of retreating colonists. America is about Liberty, and the right of the individual to his own life--and that idea knows no borders. That truly is something worth celebrating, and the heritage which became ours, was won for all people-- if only they choose to accept it. How's that for inclusive?

Even the teachers here are having problems with it and they are as far to the left as they can get.

It seems the word 'pride', like 'gay' and 'queer', is now the intellectual property of the LGBT community.

Seems it's ok to be proud of having a sexual configuration which puts one amongst 10% of the population. But it's not ok to be proud of one's nation and its heritage.

There is some discussion about the exact wording of this quote from Teddy Roosevelt on immigrants and America, and whether it was a speech or letter, but this version seems to reflect it best. To me it means that, yes, there is a unique and exceptional culture that is distinctly "American", and one we should be proud of. You rock on, kids!

"We should insist that if the immigrant who comes here does in good faith become an American and assimilates himself to us he shall be treated on an exact equality with every one else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed or birth-place or origin.

But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American and nothing but an American. If he tries to keep segregated with men of his own origin and separated from the rest of America, then he isn't doing his part as an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. . We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding-house; and we have room for but one slel loyalty, and that is loyalty to the American people."

I agree. That so many states are opting out of Common Core is a great sign of possible real change. Seeing some of the stuff being forced down the throat of your own kids can be quite an apathy-killer.

It is a pity that your potentially wise words are so glaringly absent...

Jan

Concise, Dino.

Jan

The only good thing about it is that common core has managed to jar a normally apathetic section of society into action. This is showing at the polls.

Jan

Bravo, kn1ghtride.

Jan

If it is on Fox, then the school may get more pushback than just the students. No school wants bad press - we just have to make sure that (at least this time; this press) the publicity does some good.

Jan

To my shame, I live in Massachusetts. I am very proud of the kids who are standing up for what they believe in. I am so exhausted fighting the P.C. Police and ashamed of what this state has become over the years. When did the United States of America become a bunch of wussies that can't take a little criticism and get offended by the smallest things. When did this great nation so full of spirit and life become so disheartened and beat down? We as Americans must show our strength and pride and not allow ourselves to be squashed into oppression. We really must look into what our forefathers wanted for this country and remember what makes us the greatest world power. American craftsmanship and ingenuity. How about we remember America and not allowing looters to tell us what we should be doing. We must stop the "P.C. Police" and stand up for our American rights. I will get off the soap box now.

Having a little girl in grade school I'm so upset about the PC culture in the schools. Where there are no losers and all winners with everyone being a friend. Put all this with common core could drive me insane.