The Mindful Patriot Blog

2024 End of Year Letter from our Founder

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 19:00:53 GMT

2024 Year End Founder's Letter

Few times in life do you get the opportunity to make a real difference in America at such a critical time in our nation’s history.

Patriotism unifies our country, reminds us who we are, and empowers us to do the job set before us. The National Foundation of Patriotism has, is and will continue to be a strong voice for patriotism in America.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank those who have supported us in the past, and welcome those of you who are just joining us this year. Your generous and continued support will enable us to reach our challenging goals in 2025:

Our Unify U.S. podcast series will enable us to have a broader reach and deeper impact with higher visibility as we interview people you may know and people you will want to know with conversations centered on our unifying message of the power of patriotism.
Broaden the reach of our Mindful Patriot Newsletter
Upgrades to our website that will enable more educators to teach American History and engage kids in healthy attitudes about their place in the world.
Create great causes that everyone can feel proud to be a part of. After all, the ground below our American Flag is level!

Here’s how you can join us to inspire lasting change for America:

Make a generous, year-end tax-deductible donation now.
Commit to a monthly donation to help sustain us throughout the year.
Consider making a Legacy donation by naming the National Foundation of Patriotism as one of your benefactors.

Thank you for partnering with us! Together we will continue our work to inspire America that her best days are still ahead! Get started right now by:

- Like us on Facebook (over 312,000 followers strong!)
- Subscribe to our the Mindful Patriot newsletter and the Unify U.S. podcast
- Invite others to join us!

May God bless you, and may God continue to bless America!

Your partner in patriotism, with gratitude,

Nick Snider

Founder/Chairman

AMERICA IS ASKING “WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?”

THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION OF PATRIOTISM ANSWERS:

JOIN US!

IT’S NOT A REVOLUTION.

IT’S A RESOLUTION!

Honoring the Stars and Stripes

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 21:19:51 GMT

Honoring the Stars and Stripes

American Flag Etiquette and Proper Handling

One of the most recognizable and powerful images in the world, The American flag deserves the utmost respect and reverence. There are established guidelines and rules of etiquette in the proper handling of our nation’s symbol of freedom, that help us maintain its dignity.

To ensure Old Glory is honored appropriately, it’s important to learn and adhere to the following practices. Whether displaying the flag on your lapel, on your home, or during a ceremony, be considerate of the meaning of this great symbol of America to patriots at home and abroad.

Flag Display Etiquette

Displaying the American flag correctly is a fundamental aspect of showing respect. Here are some key points to remember:

1. Time of Display: The flag should be displayed from sunrise to sunset. If flown at night, it must be properly illuminated. On special occasions, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated.

2. Position of Honor: When displayed with other flags, the American flag should always be at the center and the highest point. On a stage or platform, the flag should be placed to the speaker's right (audience's left).

3. Half-Staff: The flag is flown at half-staff as a mark of respect or mourning. It should be hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to half-staff. Before lowering it at the end of the day, it should be raised again to the peak.

On Memorial Day, the flag is displayed at half- staff until noon and then raised to the top of the staff.

Handling and Care

Proper handling and care of the flag preserve its integrity and respect. Follow these guidelines to ensure the flag is treated with the honor it deserves:

1. Raising and Lowering: The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously. It should never touch the ground, water, or any other object beneath it.

2. Folding: When not in use, the flag should be folded into a triangular shape, with only the blue field and stars visible. This traditional folding is a mark of respect and facilitates proper storage.

3. Storing: The flag should be stored in a clean, dry place. Avoid placing it where it can become dirty or damaged.

4. Repairing and Retiring: If the flag becomes torn or frayed, it should be repaired or replaced. When a flag is no longer fit for display, it should be retired in a dignified manner, preferably by burning. Many organizations, such as the American Legion, conduct flag retirement ceremonies.

Respect and Conduct

Personal conduct during the presentation of colors, is equally important. Showing respect for the flag extends far beyond display and handling. It encompasses respect and consideration to all who are participating and for the service men and women who represent our nation’s flag all over the world from the beginning of our nation’s history to today.

1. Pledge of Allegiance: When reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, individuals should stand at attention, remove your hat, face the flag, and place their right hand over their heart. Those in uniform should salute.

2. National Anthem: During the national anthem, individuals should stand at attention, face the flag, and place their right hand over their heart. Those in uniform should salute.

3. Appropriate Uses: The flag should not be used as apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should not be printed or embroidered on items intended for temporary use, such as cushions, handkerchiefs, or napkins.

4. Respectful Disposal: Flags should not be thrown away casually. When they are no longer in a condition to be displayed, they should be retired in a dignified manner, usually by burning.

Flag on Clothing and Accessories

While the flag itself should not be used as apparel, respectful representations of the flag on clothing and accessories are generally acceptable:

1. Patriotic Clothing: Clothing that features the flag’s design is acceptable if it shows respect and is worn appropriately, particularly on patriotic holidays.

2. Pins and Patches: Flag pins and patches can be worn as a sign of patriotism and respect. When worn, they should be placed near the heart.

The American flag is a symbol of the nation's values and heritage. By following proper etiquette and handling guidelines, we honor those who have fought and sacrificed for the country. These practices ensure that the flag remains a respected and revered symbol of freedom and unity for generations to come.

Respect for the flag reflects respect for the principles it represents. As Americans, it is our duty to uphold these standards and instill them in future generations, ensuring that the flag continues to inspire and unify the nation.

2023 End of Year Letter from our Founder

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:40:39 GMT

"It's A Great Day To Be An American" - Nick Snider, Founder

When Nick Snider, our founder, opened The National Museum of Patriotism in 1996, he had high hopes for success in inspiring our nation to keep a strong and resilient patriotic spirit. But even he could never have imagined the challenges we’d be facing to stay in continuing operation for these past 27 years!

With the help of all of our supporters, donors, volunteers and friends, together we have maintained our mission, reached many goals, and sustained our commitment through wars, the crushing economic downturn of 2008, which concluded in closing the physical museum and opening the Foundation, a global pandemic, and a world changing controversial election with ongoing consequences for us all.

With our collective resilience, we are still growing a solid and engaged base of patriots reaching 2.4 million people who love America all across the globe. People who know that a strong patriotic America leads to a safer global community.

America is facing challenging times, as she has many times before. Our American history books remind us and encourage us that we can overcome adversity if we stand and work together. Few times in life do you get the opportunity to make a real difference in America, especially at such a critical time in our nation’s history.

WE HAVE BIG PLANS!

We have big plans and you’ll want to take your part in these upcoming opportunities to join us.

Your gift inspires patriotism in action. With your help, we can:

Build our new UnifyUS podcast series
Create content for our Mindful Patriot Newsletter
Continue spreading the message of the 3 books we’ve written
Update our website and create new content and new exhibits that will preserve our American history and be a continuing resource for teachers, educators, and home school parents.
Sustain our strong, kind and positive voice through all social media channels.
Support upcoming events.

AMERICA IS ASKING “WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?”

THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION OF PATRIOTISM ANSWERS:

JOIN US!

IT’S NOT A REVOLUTION.

IT’S A RESOLUTION!

Remembering September 11th

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 23:00:12 GMT

Remembering September 11th

It’s been 23 years since the world watched in horror as the World Trade Center towers came crashing down. Only to be further stunned when we watched the Pentagon burning and the crash site on that Pennsylvania field smoldering.

The World Trade Center’s north and south towers were hit by American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175.

American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon.

United Airlines Flight 93 hit a field in Shanksville Pennsylvania, after many brave and courageous passengers over-powered the hijackers and saved our White House from destruction. Losing their lives with honor and ultimate sacrifice.

All other flights scheduled that day were grounded until further notice, around the world.

As the ash rained down on the city streets in New York, we struggled to make sense of what we were experiencing. Especially those of us who were not there, but watching from all over the world. Since then, many stories continue to emerge, as personal accounts still rivet us today.

Up until 2010, the National Museum of Patriotism hosted events featuring the reading of the names of the victims on September 11 in Atlanta Georgia at Centennial Olympic Park. After our transition to the National Foundation of Patriotism, we began inspiring people worldwide, on our social media platforms to remember the victims by hosting their own reading of the names.

The reading takes about 4 hours. Our events were riveting as hour after hour we would invite people off the street, as well as our supporters, to read a page of about 25 names. Men’s voices, women’s voices, children’s voices, foreign voices, a symphony of compassion and remembrance rang through the air in honor of those left behind. Reminding them we still remember.

The National Foundation of Patriotism has complied the list online for all who want to show

their respect and support to the victims and their loved ones. Here is an alphabetical list of all the victims of 9/11 .

My name is Pat Stansbury, I’m the Executive Director of the National Foundation of Patriotism and you can reach me directly at pat_stansbury@yahoo.com . I look forward to hearing from you and how you used this list. Please check out our One America exhibit for more interesting facts and information and to stay connected. We are all victims of the attack, let us never forget, and let’s support all efforts to heal.

Remembering is a way to do that.

Why is it important to teach American History?

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 23:21:48 GMT

Why is it important to teach American History?

It is becoming increasingly more evident that American public-school students are lacking in the basic knowledge

of our nation’s history.

Our American history, values and way of life are most effectively taught at home. As our children grow and learn to interact, they become more aware of their place within the family and, in time, their community and the world beyond.

According to American psychologist David Ausubel (1925-2008), our development of knowledge begins with the observation and recognition of things we already know. Therefore, offering kids a good foundation of relevant information they can later build on enables them to develop critical thinking skills and make determinations based on their own knowledge base, rather than herd mentality thinking.

Age-appropriate lessons and practical hands-on activities make learning fun for all of us. But particularly our young students who are experiencing the world around them and their place in the world in ever widening circles of influence. We must be certain who and what we allow to influence our children.

The National Foundation of Patriotism suggests the following ways to engage your children in learning about American History, values and culture.

Beginning with age-appropriate information:

Young children can learn about the US Flag, and the lessons of kindness, friendship, and loyalty learned through the memorization of the Pledge of Allegiance. They can create a flag with construction paper, clay or fruits and flowers. Anything that represents the Red White and Blue. They can make them as gifts or share them with friends. Therefore, learning the true meaning of Old Glory, which is a symbol that we can all look to as our banner of unity and hope.

Elementary age children can read biographies of our earliest Americans from our founding fathers, to the abolitionists, to great Americans like Helen Keller and Florence Nightingale. They can choose their favorite and tell why, or choose which one is most like them.

Middle School age children can learn the deeper meaning of our symbols of America. One idea may be to study facts about the US Dollar Bill and learn about the symbols on each side, what they say about us as Americans and why they are relevant to our American culture. A fun activity is to create origami figures to share and learn about the value of giving. Measure how many dollar bills it takes to stand 1 inch tall.

High School age students can learn about our founding documents, and federal papers. What makes them still relevant today? How were they meant to help form a “more perfect union” and how did our founding fathers come to create a sustainable plan for future growth and prosperity for America and the world beyond?

Here at the National Foundation of Patriotism, our starting point is to provide relevant information that enables everyone to learn about the meaning, message and mission of patriotism and its relevance to the daily lives of our citizens.

Our goal is to inspire a love of country, and encourage everyone to be proud to be Americans. Our objective is to unify America through the offer of thought provoking, relevant content in the form of exhibits, blog posts, social media posts and podcasts. Our desired outcome is to inspire, educate, and empower everyone who joins us to feel a sense of connectedness, self-respect, personal responsibility, and patriotic pride.

Ultimately, giving our nations next generations a sense of place, of connection and of belonging. That is the reason it’s important to teach American History.

The Unify U.S. Podcast #003 - Billy Terrell

pat_stansbury@yahoo.com (Pat Stansbury) — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 20:09:26 GMT

Billy Terrell

Nick Snider (Founder of the foundation) speaks with Billy Terrell about his service during Vietnam, his music, and his service to orphans in a conversation you won't want to miss.

Where do we go from here?

pat_stansbury@yahoo.com (Pat Stansbury) — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 04:45:02 GMT

Where do we go from here?

As we watch 2021 wind to a close, many of the 350,000 followers of the NFOP are asking this question. Since the inception of the National Museum of Patriotism through the years our facilities were open to the public, through the past 11 years primarily online, we have never stopped asking ourselves this very question.

Nick, Pat and the many members of our boards of directors and advisors, work every day to promote patriotic interest, insight and information. We have been able to maintain one of the cleanest and most consistent social media profiles on all major platforms. Encouraging, educating and empowering people to develop their own sense of peaceful, kind and community minded patriotic pride.

So, our answer to where do we go from here:

- As a nation – we stay calm, resolute, and respectful of our US Constitution and our American values

- As individual citizens – we engage fully in our patriotic holidays to show our support of this great nation, its defenders of freedom, and its God-fearing, peace minded citizens.

We are still Americans! We must never lose sight of that truth. According to recent research from the Pew Research Center, 70% of Americans still consider themselves patriotic, and 40% of them say they are very patriotic. This confirms that most of America still believes and holds strong to our American values. This is vital to the soul of America. But we must stand together to feel the strength of the union at this time.

The National Foundation of Patriotism at its heart, is a unifying organization with our sole mission being to unify the nation. Our patriotic values may be under extreme attack, but that only energizes us to work even harder to keep us all strong, resolute and steadfast. We only advocate American people to know their identity as citizens of the greatest nation on earth. Great because we are blessed by Almighty God to be a light in the darkness for a fallen world.

Throughout our history, we’ve had good administrations, bad administrations, do-nothing administrations, we’ve come through 2 World Wars, numerous other wars that all threaten our freedom. But, we still stand, one nation under God, and as long as we persevere in patriotism; first in our own hearts, then in our own homes, then in our own businesses, and finally in our own communities, the strength of the union will remain strong, and the God of all creation will preserve us through it all.

Our American history books are filled with the noble heroism that made this nation great. We can only draw on the power of the encouragement those courageous patriots gave us if we preserve our history while we still can. The NFOP is committed to preserving our history, values and culture. A nation that was founded on the Judeo-Christian principles of the Holy Bible.

We have a directive from God with a promise to heal our land:

“If My people who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14

It’s a great time to be alive in American history! And, as Nick Snider always says:

“IT’S A GREAT DAY TO BE AN AMERICAN!”

As supporters of the NFOP – we need YOU fully engaged!

Please make a generous tax-deductible donation to support us as we:
Develop our latest exhibit Cancelling Cancel Culture
Develop our Unify Us Podcast series
Develop rich content for future publications

God bless you, and may God continue to bless America!

Top 10 Survival Skills for Nonprofit Leaders in 2021

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 05:57:33 GMT

Top 10 Survival Skills for Nonprofit Leaders in 2021

Leadership is an action, not a position. Non-profit organizations, by the very nature of the business, require passionate, dedicated leadership to develop and maintain sustainable growth.

Especially when times get tough, creative leaders who are passionate about their missions, learn how to chart new courses. Aim to meet the goals of the mission in unique new ways, rather than struggle over things that no longer work.

If the mission is important, then the methods for sustainability will appear through action.

It is imperative for a struggling nonprofit to keep strong connections and build on relationships, especially in transition periods. On average, museums receive less than 25% of their funding from government sources, that means the rest must come from public and private sources.

Many museums have closed since the downturn of 2008 and more are at risk due to Covid-19 restrictions than ever in recent history.

“The scattered fate of closed museums rest in pieces in cities across America, and sadly, what is often preserved is not the identity of the museum, but the shadow of its memory in scattered objects and archived names.” Said Allison Meier, in her 2013 article for Hyperallergic, an online publication that supports the arts.

Passion matters. Do people really care about the benefit of museums in their communities anymore?

According to the American Alliance of Museums:

· 97% of Americans believe museums are educational assets.

· 89% of Americans believe museums provide economic benefits to their communities.

· 96% of Americans say they would support legislative actions to help support museums.

· 96% of Americans say they want to maintain or increase federal funding of museums.

Museum and other nonprofit directors must find ways to keep their businesses alive through these turbulent times. Directors are people and they get weary, discouraged and overwhelmed just like the rest of us.

In 2008, the National Museum of Patriotism faced crushing financial realities after the 2008 economic downturn greatly diminished the funds of its major donor base in Atlanta.

Great leaders think on their feet, are flexible, they are realists and they are decision makers.

Founder Nick Snider, passionate about the mission that drove him to donate his own funds in starting the organization in 1996, had a serious dilemma to face and no time to waste in dealing with it. In 2010, just one year after moving to a new location, Nick made the crucial decision to close the facility, and create an online museum. The National Foundation of Patriotism was formed and the physical exhibits were photographed, archived and later dispersed. Some were donated to other museums, good for the industry. Some were auctioned and bought by people on patriotic missions, good for America. And some were preserved for future traveling exhibits. It was a tough decision, but it was the right one at the right time. With 12,000 members in tow, Snider created a new web and social presence that grew to a fan base in 2020 of over 350,000 engaged friends. The decision cut the $100,000 monthly budget to $12,000. And the mission of the National Foundation of Patriotism has enjoyed robust growth.

In an effort to support and encourage other nonprofit organizations, here is the National Foundation of Patriotism’s top 10 success strategies for nonprofit leaders.

1. Start public speaking. Sharing your vision actually strengthens and reinvigorates YOUR passion! Whenever possible, speak to people in person. You’ll feel their energy and benefit from their support.

2. Make appointments to see your donors. Meet with them, share how you are adjusting to a new strategy, let them know this is not a fundraising call, but the next one will be. Stay connected to major donors with gratitude and remind them that their donations mattered and are not lost. Be specific about how those dollars have undergirded the mission and created a sustainable product that will be launched in a new way.

3. BE HONEST. With your donors, and with yourself. YOU didn’t fail, the economy did, but you have a plan. Focus on the truth, focus on the reality that you are facing, and give yourself a little breathing room to develop a new strategy.

4. Get Social. Dive deep into online options to reach people with your mission first (what we do), the meaning second (why we do it), and your method for sustainable growth third.

5. Hire a transition team. Even if you have to fire your entire organization, you need these 3 to help keep you refreshed, resourceful, and available.

a. A Web designer

b. A Social Media Content Manager

c. An assistant to help with details of the transition

6. Engage your volunteers. Host appreciation luncheons, and encourage them to take part in the transition.

7. Engage in projects that help or support other people and organizations. It keeps you in the right place in the public eye and opens you to a wide range of diverse new friends and supporters.

8. Invite young college students to a planning and brainstorming meeting that can generate ideas and enable them to get excited about your mission. If you FEED them, they will come! ALWAYS FEED THEM.

9. Get ruthless with your daily schedule. Start as many days as possible by what I call Breakfast with Champions. Meet with successful people and invite them to tell you all about how they reached their goals. YOU EAT, THEY TALK, YOU LISTEN!

10. Block off time each day to think. Close your door, turn off your phone, turn out the lights and just let your mind flow where ever it wants to go. Eventually, you’ll settle on what matters and then you’ll strike gold. That great idea, that winning strategy, that path to success.

The National Foundation of Patriotism wishes you all the best.

You matter.

Your organization matters.

Don’t ever give up.

God bless you, and may God continue to bless America!

An Outstanding Woman In American History

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 06:09:56 GMT

Anne Marbury Hutchinson - An Outstanding

Woman in American History

Puritan Spiritual Advisor, Religious Reformer, Midwife and mother of 11 children. A key figure in the history of religious freedom in England’s American colonies and the history of women in ministry who challenged the authority of the ministers.

Anne Hutchinson was born in Alford, Lincolnshire, England, and was the daughter of Francis Marbury, an Anglican cleric and school teacher, who gave her a far superior education than that of most other girls of her day.

She resided in London as a young adult, while there, she married William Hutchinson (1586- 1641), he was a judge (chief magistrate) in the Colonial era settlement at Portsmouth on the Island of Aquidneck, which is now known as Rhode Island.

The couple moved back to Alford, Lincolnshire and began following preacher John Cotton. Cotton was compelled to emigrate to the New World in 1633, and the Hutchinson’s and their 11 children followed him shortly thereafter.

Soon they became well established in the growing settlement of Boston in New England. Anne Hutchinson became a Midwife and was helpful to the women needing her assistance, as well as forthcoming with her personal religious understandings. She began hosting a weekly meeting in her house to deliver sermons and teaching the women about Christianity. She became so popular even men started joining her meetings, including Henry Vane, the young governor of the colony.

It wasn’t long before her reformation teachings started ruffling the feathers of the male religious leaders of the day. Her strong religious convictions and intense delivery shook the established Puritan clergy to the core. Her obvious intellectual acumen, as well as her popularity and charisma, created a deep divide that threatened to destroy the Puritans’ religious community in New England.

She began to accuse the local ministers (except Cotton and her husband’s brother-in-law John Wheelwright) of preaching a covenant of “works” rather than a covenant of “grace”. Many of the ministers began to complain about her increasingly blatant accusations, as well as certain unorthodox theological teachings, according to them.

The grumbling eventually erupted into what is commonly called the Antinomian Controversy, culminating in her trial, conviction and banishment from the colony. Followed by a church trial, in March 1638, in which she was put out of her congregation.

Tried, Convicted and Banished!

She was eventually tried and convicted, then banished from the colony with many of her supporters.

Hutchinson and many of her supporters established a settlement of Portsmouth with encouragement from Providence Plantations founder Roger Williams in what became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

After her husband’s death a few years later, in 1641, threats of Massachusetts taking over Rhode Island compelled Hutchinson to move totally outside the reach of Boston into the lands of the Dutch. Five of her older surviving children remained in New England, while she settled with her younger children near an ancient landmark, Split Rock, in what later became The Bronx in New York city.

Tensions were high during the Kieft’s War with the Siwanoy Indian tribe, and in August 1643 Hutchinson, her 6 children and other members of the household were massacred by the Siwanoys.

The only survivor Susanna (Hutchinson) Cole

The only survivor being her nine-year-old daughter Susanna, who was taken captive. There are two accounts of her salvation, one was that she had red hair, and that spared her from slaughter, and the other is that she was picking blueberries some distance from the house and hid in the crevice at Split Rock. Either way, she was taken captive and held for several years. Sources say she had a son while in captivity to Siwanoy sachem Wampage I. Believed to be her mothers’ murderer. The child Ninham-Wampage would later become known as Wampage II.

She would eventually marry John Cole in Boston on December 30, 1651. John Cole was the son of a Boston innkeeper Samuel Cole, who is credited with establishing the first tavern in 1634.

Anne Hutchinson is honored by Massachusetts with a State House monument calling her a “courageous exponent of civil liberty and religious toleration”

Often referred to as the “most famous – or infamous – English woman in colonial American history.

The World Watches Anxiously as We Near the 2020 US Presidential Election on November 3, 2020

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 20:20:21 GMT

The World Watches Anxiously as we Near the 2020 US Presidential Election on November 3, 2020.

For world leaders this election is crucial to the uncertain future of U.S. trade policies, as Trump has changed the landscape of US foreign relations with his America First policies. Under this new ideology, the U.S. requires foreign nations to be more forthcoming and transparent concerning new agreements and future plans. Trump put teeth in this new arrangement in the form of sanctions, tariffs and sometimes halting negotiations altogether until a mutual solution is achieved.

America first, however, does not mean America only. As negotiations proceed, both parties come away with benefits and consolations, mirroring the Art of the Deal approach Trump has mastered in over 50 years of business worldwide.

Transparency eliminates the potential for criminal private deals with corrupt politicians that have plagued the U.S. for decades. Side bar deals never benefit the people of either country, but line the pockets of self-serving people in power and often lead to more corruption and detriment to the people they are supposed to serve. This creates an international distrust in dealing with America. The new America First policy is meant to clean up the mess left by former corrupt politicians and set America on more solid ground to negotiate fair deals leading to a safer, healthier, and stronger global community.

Integrity is the cornerstone of the America First policy. Borrowing a phrase from Ronald Reagan, ‘trust but verify’ will be the litmus test of all deals post negotiations. Leaders in Russia, China and Iran may not be so keen on another 4 years of US sanctions, tariffs, and the war on unfair trade practices. Watch out Xi, an upswing in Chinese intellectuals are suddenly more dismissive of liberal ideology, instead seeking clearer insight for Chinese interests. However, the rest of Asia and Europe is showing a growing enthusiastic acceptance of Trump’s presence on the global stage.

We also see the tide changing in the Mideast, as we now have a U.S. Embassy in Israel. Bringing together Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdulatif bin Rashid Al Zayani to explore trade options.

UAE was the first of the Persian Gulf countries to agree to establish formal relations with Israel as well as work to establish goals to include other Arab nations, which could lead to a more stable middle east.

As it relates to the impact America has on the world, the U.S. still provides more assistance than any other country in foreign aid, and under President Trump, in 2019 the U.S. supplied $39.2 billion in aid worldwide. Improving health, education and humanitarian aid that helped poor countries develop their own economies.

This election holds so many unique aspects and uncertainties. However, as far as the candidates go, we have strong data on both. Joe Biden has been in office for over 40 years, and Trump almost 4 years. Their ideologies are vastly different. Their documented achievements are easy to see. The world has access to the same information that we do. Their concerns are every bit as serious as ours, the impact that this election has on the global community can mean the difference between freedom and bondage for us and for them.

America was founded on Judeo-Christian values. The bible is clear about what we must do to continue to be blessed by God. Those clear words are found in II Chronicles 7:14 and they apply to all nations seeking life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, and pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

The candidate who follows God’s word, will receive God’s blessing for our nation, and in turn, benefits for the nations of the world.

Patriotism Heals America

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 21:43:16 GMT

Patriotism Heals America

“Patriotism gave us a place to mourn with dignity. A place to rebuild, but not retaliate. A place to reflect, but not remain. Patriotism moves us forward. Keeps us united. Holds us together.”-Pat Stansbury

The message of patriotism finds its way meandering throughout history, in many emotional expressions.

Sometimes in unexpected places.

One such place was in New York September 11, 2001. On a clear, blue Tuesday morning America was shaken to our core as we slowly learned we were under attack. Bombing the World Trade Center sent shock waves throughout the world. The enemy believed that by taking down those buildings, it would destroy our economy and break the back of America. Soon we also learned they attacked the Pentagon and planned to attack the White House. Quick action soon landed all aircraft as we learned many more attacks were planned throughout our nation.

But the enemy wasn’t prepared for the surprise we gave them, when we stood together in unity and in love.

Something all their years of research, practice runs, (such as the 1993 bombing of the WTC, which was a dress rehearsal for the 9-11-01 attack), and carefully laid out plans could have never prepared them for…the American Spirit.

As the smoke and ash rained down the spirit of patriotism began to rise. A once divided city became a community of grieving family. We were all one people, one color, one nation and we prayed to one God.

In the days, weeks and months of clean-up efforts, and those awful lists regularly updated as victims remains were steadily confirmed, became the only connection people had to their lost loved ones. People comforted each other, who were once total strangers. Families came together. Violent crime greatly diminished. And in the years since, New York became a much safer place and tourism rose as people continued the spirit of community coming together to rebuild homes, businesses, lives and

relationships.

Patriotism gave us a place to mourn with dignity. A place to rebuild, but not retaliate. A place to reflect, but not remain. Patriotism moves us forward. Keeps us united. Holds us together.

Patriotism healed America after the terror attack on 9-11.

The beauty of the meaning of patriotism is love. Love of country, care for its people, respect for the U.S. Constitution and respect for our natural resources.

The beauty of the message of patriotism is that it renews and revives the spirit of America.

The beauty of the mission of patriotism is that it tears down barriers while it builds up people. Diminishes differences and broadens common ground. Inspires deeper insight, as it reduces ignorance, hate and violence.

Patriotism… it’s what heals America. It’s the DNA of America.

American Patriotism: Leading the way for America; Lighting the way for the World!

Is Patriotism Still Relevant in America?

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 21:48:33 GMT

Is Patriotism Still Relevant in America?

Patriotism, by its very definition, means love. Love of country, its people, its laws, its resources, its freedom.

While The National Foundation of Patriotism encourages you to find your own definition of patriotism, that’s not a bad place to begin your search.

With all the negativity the media tends to focus on, patriotism can get lost in all the noise. We can easily lose sight of all the important aspects of American life.

We see the need for Americans to have a place we can get our patriotic batteries recharged! A place to come home to the ideals, values, and historic perspective that leads the way to the future. Become familiar with our country again, check out our Symbols of America exhibit.

The National Foundation of Patriotism is a place where the seeds of patriotism can begin to take root in our hearts and in our minds. Going far beyond the word “patriotism” all the way to the meaning, the message and the mission of patriotism in America and our effectiveness and relevance on a global scale.

The Meaning of Patriotism

If the definition of patriotism is love of country, then the meaning of loving our country finds its roots in the individual hearts and personal experiences of our citizens. Begging the question: What does patriotism mean to YOU?

The National Foundation of Patriotism is dedicated to raising awareness of how patriotism has been celebrated in a broad and wide spectrum of expressions, some outrageous and wild, as you will see in our Patriotism in Entertainment exhibit; some personal and quiet in a somber setting as seen in our One America Exhibit, the story of the attacks on 9-11-01; yet others demonstrate their patriotism in decent as seen in our Medal of Honor exhibit the story of Desmond Doss. The meaning of patriotism is yours and its mine, but the most important message we would like to convey, is that its okay if we differ in what matters to us, as long as at the end of the day, we find a way to stay united on the common ground that we are all share as free Americans.

So, what does patriotism mean to YOU?

The Message of Patriotism

The message of patriotism finds its way meandering throughout history, in the many emotional expressions we see in unexpected places. The Olympics is a place to see an emotional expression of patriotic pride. How do YOU feel when you see our flag unfurl as the gold medalist from the USA takes the center stage. They won, yet we feel the victory.

Another unexpected place that patriotism showed up was on 9-11-01, when our enemies attacked believing they would destroy the very backbone of America through our economy, thus the bombing of the World Trade Center. What a surprise we gave them, when we stood together as untied Americans. We hung so many American flags, that when we ran out of flags to hang, we saw bed sheets painted red white and blue, and hung up on bombed out store windows. We saw that people painted flags on just about everything, they planted red white and blue gardens, and an entire array of patriotic food started appearing in our magazines and on internet food sites. American flag pins were our most popular item in our gift shop.

And then the donations started to roll in, for police, fire and EMS. Widows funds, college funds, and rebuilding funds of all kinds.

Patriotism healed our nation.

The beauty of the message of patriotism is that it renews and revives the spirit of America.

What is YOUR patriotic message to the world?

The Mission of Patriotism

The mission of patriotism in America is to sustain the strength of the democracy and in turn, the freedom that we love.

Patriotism is what holds us all together, gives us common ground to stand together, it’s the DNA of America.

The National Foundation of Patriotism is dedicated to helping us to regain our pride in our uniqueness as well as our sameness, while finding balance and fairness in our Founding Documents, which chronicle the ideals born out of the Judeo-Christian values we were founded upon.

What is YOUR patriotic mission?

Is patriotism still relevant in America?

You bet it is! The spirit of America relies on it to keep us strong and free.

Jane Cage: First Recipient of the Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 02:59:53 GMT

Jane Cage: First Recipient of the
Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience

In January of 2012, Jane Cage, Chair of the Citizens Advisory Recovery Team (CART) in Joplin Mo., and the citizens of Joplin were awarded the Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience, recognizing their contributions in the aftermath of the devastating tornadoes that struck Joplin in May 2011. The Joplin tornado, which killed 161 people and injured approximately 1,000, ranks as one of the deadliest disasters in United States' history, and is the costliest tornado in U.S. history.

“The Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience recognizes outstanding response to a catastrophic incident and leadership in fostering resilient and prepared communities," said Secretary Napolitano when she made the announcement. “Jane Cage and the Joplin community demonstrate this spirit of resilience and strength, serving as models for communities across our nation.”

Jane is a long-time Joplin citizen and businesswoman. She had a history of civic involvement and had led the Chamber of Commerce, the Joplin Humane Society, the Joplin Rotary Club, the Joplin Family Y and St. John’s/Mercy Hospital boards.

As Chair of CART in Joplin, Jane Cage demonstrated exceptional leadership in helping the Joplin community recovery from the devastating May tornado. After the tornado, the Citizens Advisory Recovery Team was established to provide a forum between citizens and the City Council as the community recovered and rebuilt. Jane chaired the CART and served as a liaison to many federal agencies. The CART used a variety of opportunities to reach members across the community, including those who were personally overwhelmed by their own losses from the storm. After five months of the CART listening to residents and their hopes for a recovered community, Jane compiled those ideas into the “Listening to Joplin” plan, which served as the foundation of the community’s recovery efforts.

The entire Joplin community played an important role in the recovery process, deciding together to build more resilient schools outside of the floodplain, develop stronger standards for home construction, and to develop shared facilities to use as storm shelters.

The Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience is the Department of Homeland Security’s first national resilience award for superior leadership and innovation by a non-governmental individual or organization who exemplifies the qualities and achievements of Rick Rescorla, emphasizing leadership in effective preparation, response, and recovery in the face of disasters.

Congressional Gold Medal Recipient: Lt. Col. Charles Walter Dryden (RET.)

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 02:36:34 GMT

Lt. Col. Charles Walter Dryden (RET.)

September 16, 1920 - June 24, 2008

One of the original Tuskegee Airman and a board member of the National Museum of Patriotism. Chuck earned his wings in 1942, while serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Chuck was the third Tuskegee Airman to receive his “wings”.

Born in New York City in 1920, Chuck graduated from Stuyvesant High School. He studied for his public law degree at Columbia University in New York city. He earned a political science degree from Hofstra University on Long Island, which later awarded him an honorary doctorate degree in 1996. He taught air science at Howard University in Washington DC. He would later move to Atlanta Georgia with his wife Marymal Morgan Dryden.

Chuck was a patriot, swearing allegiance to the United States of America, as all who serve in our armed forces must do, upon acceptance. The National Museum of Patriotism took him on his first ride through Atlanta in a Veteran’s Day Parade. He rode with Founder Nick Snider in Nick’s Red 1957 Chevy, which had signs on the doors representing “An American National Treasure: Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. Chuck Dryden”.

Nick will never forget the tears streaming down Chuck’s face as hundreds of people on the sidelines pointed and waved, many would risk running over to the car just to shake his hand. Atlanta deserved to see this hometown hero, a man of valor and high moral character.

The National Museum of Patriotism created an exhibit in his honor which was on display in Atlanta from 2005-2010 (the museum closed in 2010). They hosted events in his honor, celebrated his birthday at the unveiling of the exhibit with many Tuskegee airman and the Tuskegee Ace Camp members in attendance.

“Chuck would light up a room when he entered, he had the most entertaining sense of humor. One of the greatest honors of my life was to be asked by his wife, Marymel, to do a eulogy at his funeral, following Andrew Young. My closing comment was that Chuck didn’t die, he just kept on going (gesturing upward flight with my hands).” Nick Snider

His autobiography “ A-Train: Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman ” is on sale in our gift shop .

A Decorated Hero: Lt. Colonel Aquila James “Jimmie” Dyess

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 02:24:57 GMT

Lt. Colonel Aquila James “Jimmie” Dyess

January 11,1909 – February 2, 1944

Jimmy Dyess was one of those hometown heroes you’d only ever get to read about. His short life of leadership, self-sacrifice and patriotism is the stuff legends are made of.

The National Foundation of Patriotism (NFOP) is proud and humbled to know the family of Medal of Honor recipient and Carnegie Medal recipient Jimmie Dyess. NFOP Founder Nick Snider has been a proud supporter of the Jimmie Dyess Symposium which is an annual event presented in his honor by his daughter Connor and her husband Major General Perry Smith U.S. Air Force (Ret.). The symposium includes annual recipients of the Jimmie Dyess Distinguished American Award, and includes talks by guests of distinction from all walks of life.

The third of four children, Dyess played football at Clemson as starting end on the freshman team in 1927. He made the varsity squad as a lineman during his sophomore and junior years. Standing 6’1” tall, weighing in at 190 pounds, he was a picture for what a bright future should look like. As fate would have it, he suffered a knee injury that knocked him out of football and onto the rifle range, where he became an accomplished marksman and captain of the rifle team.

Carnegie Medal

Summer 1928 he was vacationing with his family on Sullivan’s Island South Carolina. On July 13, storm rolled in with strong winds and waves, as young Dyess noticed a group of people distressed by a woman (Barbara Muller) who had apparently been swept out to sea as another woman (Mrs. Roscoe Holly) tried to save her. Realizing the attempts were in vain, witnesses say, Dyess dove into the raging sea and attempted to save both women. They had been carried out 200 yards already, but Dyess reached and helped both women to safely to shore. Afterward he gave further assistance in aiding in their resuscitation.

Upon realizing the situation, Dyess immediately went into the sea after the two women, who had been carried out as far as 200 yards. Dyess was not an experienced swimmer or use to such rough currents. After several minutes of near doom, Dyess helped the two women to shore, after which he gave further assistance in aiding the resuscitation.

Jimmie Dyess received the Carnegie Medal that day. America’s highest award for heroism by civilians. The award was presented in 1929. Miss Muller also received the Carnegie Medal, for diving in first, risking her own life to save Mrs. Holly.

Medal of Honor

In 1940, Dyess was a Marine Corps reservist called to active duty.

On February 1, 1944, he led his men in the 4th Marine Division during battle at Green Beach on Roi-Namur Island, one of the Marshall Islands. At the end of the first day of combat, he discovered there were Marines caught behind enemy lines. Although it was almost dark, Dyess organized a small rescue force and broke through enemy lines under heavy enemy fire, and rescue the stranded men.

On the second day, Dyess and his men, were closing in on the remaining Japanese military. On February 2, at about 10:45pm, Dyess was struck by a bullet in the head, killing him instantly as he was leading his men. For this heroic action Dyess was later awarded the Medal of Honor. (Dyess was one of only 9 Eagle Scouts to receive the Medal of Honor at this writing)

He was survived by his 32-year-old wife and 8-year-old daughter, Connor.

To learn more about Dyess, read his Medal of Hono r and Carnegie Medal biographies here.

The Story of Rick Rescorla and Nick Snider

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 02:05:58 GMT

The Greatest Friend I Never Knew

On a clear, blue Tuesday morning, as the sun rose to shine on the New York skyline, America was about to see her last days of peace and the perceived security we once enjoyed.

What most of us were about to find out that we had heroes all around us, many about to lose their lives. One of the leading unsung heroes of the terror attack on the World Trade Center was Rick Rescorla, Vice President of Security for Morgan Stanley, in the South Tower. He would later be credited with saving over 2977 lives that day. As he went in for a final sweep to see if anyone else was still in the building, the South tower began to collapse on him and those who couldn’t make it out that morning. Their remains are still enshrined in the rubble that is now beneath the Freedom Tower.

In the car, on the way to his Atlanta office, Nick Snider was called by his assistant, that the North Tower of the World Trade Center had been struck by a commercial aircraft, he raced to his son’s nearby home, and asked him to turn on the television and see what happened in New York. Within minutes they watched the second plane strike the South Tower. Unbeknownst to Nick at the time, a classmate from Officer Candidate School class of 4-65 was about to lose his life protecting thousands of others.

Nick never met Rick Rescorla while at Fort Benning, but he was about to realize their connection as the news started to spread throughout the world. Mutual friends would rekindle old relationships as they learned of the fate of a fellow officer from decades ago. Nick watched in shock and anger at the attack. And later was amazed by the emerging stories of Rick’s heroic efforts; not only on that fateful day, but of years prior. Rick Rescorla was referred to as the unsung hero of 9-11.

After the first terror attack on the World Trade Center, in 1993, Rick Rescorla devised an evacuation plan in preparation of future attacks, which he was sure would come. The drills were treacherous on the employees of Morgan Stanley in the South Tower, but in 2001 Rick led over 2900 employees safely out of the burning building.

Before he left his office, he made 2 calls; one to his wife and the other to his best friend Dan Hill. They watched in horror as the unbelievable images of the towers collapsed and entombed him. An epic end to his magnificent life of valor and heroism.

Nick watched too, 870 miles away, and was soon alerted by his OCS buddies, that a member of their class 4-65 was killed in the attack. Nick would soon plan a memorial in honor of his fallen comrade sponsored by the OCS Classmates. They built a multimedia exhibit of the events of Rick’s life complete with video interviews created years prior to his untimely death. Videos that captured Rick’s brilliant insight and even foresight of future events.

Nick was also instrumental in raising funds for the Rick Rescorla exhibit that now stands at the Infantry Museum at Fort Benning, GA. Nick hosted public readings of the names of the victims of the World Trade Center terror attack, at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta until they no longer allowed it in 2010.

In March 2019 Nick felt compelled by God to guide the NFOP staff to begin an exhaustive effort to get Rick Rescorla the Presidential recognition he deserves.

President Trump agreed to award Rick Rescorla the well-deserved and long overdue Presidential Citizens Medal. This honor which is bestowed by the President of the United States, is awarded for “Exemplary deeds or services, for his or her country or fellow citizens.”

On November 7, 2019 Nick, his staff, his family, Rick’s family and 200 guests were in attendance in the East Room at the White House when Rick finally received a Presidential “thank you” from President Donald J. Trump. After the ceremony, the NFOP hosted the “Honoring the Life and Legacy of Rick Rescorla Dinner” in a Washington DC ballroom. All in attendance were invited.

The new One World Trade Center, which is the main building on the complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is the tallest building in the U.S., the Western Hemisphere, and the seventh tallest building in the world. Whenever Nick sees the Freedom Tower, he remembers the dear friend, he never knew and he is full of pride and gratitude as a member of OCS Class 4-65. Nick and Rick share another honor together; both members of the OCS Hall of Fame.

Written and compiled by Pat Stansbury

Memorial Day; A Patriotic Tradition

Thu, 14 May 2020 16:23:41 GMT

Memorial Day; A Patriotic Tradition

By Pat Stansbury

Depending on what you read, you’ll see a wide variety of views on patriotism in America.

Some say patriotism is dead, that we are so divided that we might as well accept that we should split into separate countries.

Some say patriotism should finally die, as we are a melting pot and should honor the values of all who seek to live in America, therefore abandoning our national identity because its offensive to the masses.

Still, others believe we should become “hyper-patriotic” adding nationalism as a byproduct of patriotism and write off the rest of the world. Buy American! Close the borders! Screw the rest of the world!

So, where are we? They can’t all be right. But they aren’t all wrong, either.

Whenever we find ourselves in a quandary, we should go back to the beginning, and let history be the lens through which we find our balance.

So, what is patriotism? Patriotism is love. Love of country.

Love draws us together; it doesn’t tear us apart. So, we can say goodbye to View #1 (patriotism is dead, that we are so divided that we might as well accept that we should split into separate countries.)

But, does love of country mean we close ourselves in and shut ourselves off from the world? It might, if we didn’t have a long history of love and appreciation for people around the globe. And they for us. We received a beautiful, meaningful gift from France that stands as the light of liberty for the world, and states what is at the heart of American patriotism: The Statue of Liberty.

An excerpt of the Emma Lazarus poem “The New Colossus”

“Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

American liberty has always been what draws people from all over the globe.

So, we can say goodbye to View #3 (become “hyper-patriotic” adding nationalism as a byproduct of patriotism and write off the rest of the world. Buy American! Close the borders! Screw the rest of the world!)

It’s true we are a melting pot, but that doesn’t mean our pot itself has melted! Although patriotism is an attribute of American values, so is freedom, equality, and ownership. Therefore, we should never give up on the values that enable us to endure changing times since the birth of our nation.

So, we can say goodbye to View # 2 (patriotism should finally die, as we are a melting pot and should honor the values of all who seek to live in America, therefore abandoning our national identity because its offensive to the masses.)

How, then, can we be sure patriotism will remain an attribute of American values?

Throughout our history we have been an exceptionally patriotic country. To gain perspective we must look back to our history to find our future.

One way we know America is an exceptional nation, unlike other nations that evolved through geography, tradition, languages, and social order, America was born. Born from the ideas that all men are created equal, that we have been given certain unalienable rights by the hand of God. That these rights combined create liberty. Liberty enlightens to create freedom. We are free to pursue happiness, worship God openly, speak freely, own private property and protect it.

Therefore, the way forward is to embrace our roots, and broaden our perspectives, without losing our way.

Patriotism, like the torch of the Statue of Liberty, enlightens as it leads, not the other way around. Without patriotism we have no identity. To lose patriotism is to forfeit the very liberty that allows us to stand here today and thank those who fought for these rights.

American patriotism; Leading the Way for America; Lighting the Way for the World.

Why is patriotism relevant during Corona Virus?

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:13:42 GMT

Why is patriotism relevant during Corona Virus?

2020 came in with a whimper as we suffer under the careless or deliberate hand of China, yet, we see some very encouraging positive things coming out of it, as America always rises to the best and worst thrown at us.

Patriotism is love of country, love of community, respect for our natural resources, care for our citizens.

We see all the best coming out of our citizens as we honor our healthcare workers, encourage children with a teddy bear (in the window) safari in some neighborhoods, and use social media for social good. Even our celebrities have entertained us with free concerts on tv to keep us connected.

Patriotism is connectedness. Families are learning to play together again. Families are learning to eat together again. American’s follow the rules, seek the truth, and support family, friends and neighbors. We learned how to diligently wash our hands and lend a helping hand to those in need.

Patriotism is creative. Creativity abounds as we see many organizations flourishing because of love of country. We see factories retrofitting to create things they never manufactured before, all for the good of our citizens and the health and wellbeing of our nation.

Patriotism is compassion. We see many service organizations, churches and civic organizations all responding to the call to help feed the hungry, check on the lonely, and entertain the downhearted. We honor our first responders and healthcare workers with great appreciation and a renewed understanding of their challenging jobs. And who isn’t humbled by organizations like Samaritan’s Purse, who goes all over the world AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE, and set up hospitals, help clean up after natural disasters, and relieve suffering everywhere around the globe.

Patriotism holds us together, binds us to our American values, and connects us with a global outreach to relieve suffering.

American patriotism: Leading the Way for America; Lighting the Way for the World!

The Unify U.S. Podcast #002 - Major General Perry Smith

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 20:21:55 GMT

Major General Perry Smith

Our guest this week on the Unify U.S. Podcast is Major General Perry Smith. Join us as we talk about his history with the foundation, Medal of Honor recipients, and his involvement with the Jimmie Dyess Symposium.

Nick Snider & Pat Stansbury - 001

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 16:20:54 GMT

Nick Snider & Pat Stansbury - #001

Today we sit down with Nick Snider, the founder and chairman of the foundation, and Pat Stansbury, the Executive Director of the foundation to talk about how the foundation came to be many years ago, and what is to come going into 2020.

The Unify U.S. Podcast - 000

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 16:18:05 GMT

Episode #000 - Introduction

Welcome to the Unify U.S. Podcast!

We want to invite you on a journey as we interview different educators, innovators, war heroes and more and learn about their story, and how they experience patriotism in their daily lives.

NATIONALISM VS. PATRIOTISM

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 16:10:36 GMT

Nationalism vs. Patriotism

Patriotism is the DNA of America. Patriotism is a unifier. It brings us together in the best of times, and the worst of times. Patriotism, although it proclaims love of country, often extends to international benevolence, in times of catastrophe, natural disaster, and the oppression of human rights.

Nationalism on the other hand is a divider. It requires exclusivity, and closes ranks against all other nations. Nationalism, although it claims love of country, it does not activate love, it activates separationism.

There will always be those who hijack patriotism and mistakenly present it as nationalism. But the distance between patriotism and nationalism is wider than the span of the ocean that divides the continents, and this is why:

Patriotism is rooted in love.

Nationalism is rooted in conquest.

Patriotism is inviting.

Nationalism is exclusive.

Patriotism involves personal behavior that obeys our laws, supports our people, and opens our arms to those in need.

Nationalism involves national identity in and of itself.

The Patriot prays that his country will bless God.

The Nationalist prays that God will bless his country.

So then, in the clarity of side by side comparison, there can be no mistaking the divide. Although the Patriot and the Nationalist both proclaim they love their country, the separation begins in the first step of their deeds.

The National Foundation of Patriotism invites all who love this country to join us in finding common ground.

Top 10 ways to love a teacher!

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 16:09:29 GMT

Top 10 ways to love a teacher!

Most parents know the enormous job we put on our teachers, and most of us really care about them.

They deal with things that most people don’t often think about, such as seriously undisciplined kids, increasing loss of authority in the classroom, angry, disrespectful parents. They follow stringent education plans on tight timelines. And they often have to bring your child’s classwork home to grade their papers, making their own workday even longer, with less time left to care for their own families.

And let’s face it, aren’t we ashamed of how little they get paid? Adding insult to injury, they often must pay for their own classroom supplies out of their own pocket.

We want to help parents and teachers, so here we go, 10 things you can do to encourage your teachers and inspire your children.

Pray for your teachers with your children.

Write a thank you note to the Principal, letting them know what a great teacher your child has.

Buy 2 class supplies lists and support another child in need.

Donate money for supplies. Or ask the teacher what they need and buy it.

Have your child write a thank you note and tell their teacher something they learned.

Give great teacher gifts: gift cards!

Attend your child’s teacher conference on time and follow their advice.

Teach your child the value of respect, listening, following directions and kindness, and the value of completing homework on time.

Teach your child the meaning and message of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Volunteer when asked to help.

American teachers: Leading the way for our children’s futures

Lighting the way for future generations!

A Hero Remembered

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 16:06:43 GMT

A Hero Remembered.

Recently, a friend of mine lost his father. He was 90 years old, and his death was peaceful. In fact, given his life experiences, you could absolutely say his death was remarkable.

Lee Brown was born in 1925. He was the middle child of three and was raised by a single mother in Connecticut during the depression. You might say he was your “standard issue” American boy until he was drafted into the Army in 1942. He decided to volunteer for a new unit that was forming called Rangers and it had been predetermined that Rangers would lead the way.

At some point during the formation of this new group of elite soldiers, a mission began to be discussed specifically for them. This was a mission that some may have deemed foolish. Others may have called it suicidal, but clearly, it was seen as necessary. The mission concerned a little spot on the map called Point Du Hoc.

This small little seaside village was most probably unheard of by most of the troops before 1943, but historians are still debating the importance of this city during the Normandy invasion. Intelligence reports revealed that Point Du Hoc was where the Germans had built massive gun emplacements in concrete and steel bunkers that were zoned in to the beaches of Normandy. Should these guns remain active, any landing force would not only have to deal with mines, obstacles & machine gun emplacements, but brutal howitzer fire as well. Clearly, these guns needed to be taken out.

But, destroying these big guns was no easy task. These gun emplacements were built on top of 100-foot cliffs. The enemy would be able to see the landing crafts coming from a mile away and be able to direct fire down on them. The Rangers that landed on the beaches below had roughly 30 feet of beach and the daunting task of climbing the cliffs in force before attacking the gun emplacements. There were disagreements among the officers about the feasibility of this mission and at least one officer was replaced because he felt he couldn’t lead his troops in a mission he didn’t believe in. Despite that, the Rangers were put through very specific training to take the guns.

When the weather finally cleared enough to launch the invasion, the Rangers loaded into landing crafts at 4 am on June 6th, 1944. There were delays and navigation issues that put the landing crafts almost an hour behind and off course. Between the swells capsizing crafts and enemy fire, the Rangers suffered nearly a 50% casualty rate before they hit the beach. Despite this, they executed their mission by climbing the cliffs under heavy enemy fire. Once they found the guns and destroyed them, of the 225 men who got into landing crafts, there were only 90 Rangers fit enough to continue to fight.

Lee Brown was one of those men.

From D Day, he went on to fight in other battles including the Battle of the Bulge and his unit liberated the Buchenwald concentration camp. He came home with a chest full of medals that he most likely tucked away in a footlocker and probably didn’t talk about much. He was part of the greatest generation. That’s just what they did.

He asked for no fan fare or special treatment. He went to work after the war like most veterans. He and his wife had two sons, and they raised them together. At the age of 62, he retired from his corporate job and became a greeter at Walmart- a job he absolutely loved. At the visitation prior to his funeral, it was easy to see that Lee was a man that many people loved. His son Dave was told things like “You won the lottery when it came to Fathers”, Your Father was a great man” and “I’ve never met a more heroic man in my life.”

It’s unclear whether or not he was the last survivor of the D Day landing at Point Du Hoc, but Lee Brown was just an ordinary American who was called to do extraordinary things. If he was like most men of his time, he went with optimism, hope and a quiet determination to do right. We wanted to recognize not only his amazing military service but the life he lived afterward. No matter how you define patriotism, we know that it’s men like this that help make this country great. We appreciate the quiet heroes among us like Lee Brown. We’d like to thank him and others just like him- on behalf of a grateful nation.

In Celebration of the resilient American Spirit

Sat, 12 Sep 2015 06:02:03 GMT

In Celebration of the Resilient American Spirit

In celebration of the resilience of the American Spirit, The National Foundation of Patriotism would like to encourage all Americans to honor the memory of the victims of 9-11-01 by engaging and supporting the efforts of those who helped us to unite, rebuild, and emerge a stronger more vigilant nation.

To refresh your spirit and encourage you to stay connected to your friends and family, we invite you to share these 3 reminders that the ground around the American Flag, that represents freedom, is level.

The National Foundation of Patriotism’s “One America” Exhibit (we included a list of the names of victims of 911 on our One America exhibit. Just seeing the length of the list is sobering. It takes about 4 hours to read every single name on the list out loud.)

https://nfop.org/one-america

The new 911 Museum

http://www.911memorial.org/museum

The new Freedom Tower

http://www.wtc.com/about/freedom-tower

Patriotism At Home

Mon, 19 Aug 2013 04:33:32 GMT

The flag is on the doorpost, the mat says “Welcome!” and the kids are tumbling around with the dog on the lawn. Sound like your house? Not really? Well you are not alone my friend.

Many households in America are in turmoil today. Many parents are exhausting themselves trying to make ends meet. More kids are on mind altering prescription drugs than ever in history (just peek in the refrigerators at your local school Nurses office, shocking!). And when we arrive home, it seems everyone runs to their respective technological devices for the remainder of the evening.

So, what can families do to turn back the hands of time, as it relates creating a Patriotic home life?

Here are the National Foundation of Patriotism’s Top 5 Ways to Celebrate Patriotism At Home:

Practice peace. Literally. Ask family members to join you in one timed minute (60 full seconds) of peace. Close your eyes. And just BE for one minute 3 times each day. We suggest before leaving for work and school, before eating dinner at the table together, and before bedtime. One minute.
Eat dinner together. Give thanks before eating. During dinner, talk about what it means to you to be a patriotic family. Define patriotism. And listen to the views of the rest of the family. Be the adult Mom and Dad. Direct the conversation, but listen too.
Learn about your community. Have the family participate in a report on the history of your community. Plan on attending events and participating in some programs of interest to you and your family.
Volunteer in your community. Consider allotting a time each month to an activity your family enjoys together. Here are some ideas:
Clean up a park or area that is unsightly
Serve at a shelter
Host a fundraiser
Gather items of need
Donate
Attend patriotic parades, celebrations and holidays and invite others to support and attend with you.

Let’s restore a patriotic spirit in America, one household at a time. We're in. Are you?

Why is Thanksgiving an important holiday in America?

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 04:29:25 GMT

Why is Thanksgiving an important holiday in America?

The importance of keeping the celebration of Thanksgiving alive in American homes, in my opinion, is three fold;

1) It’s important to give ourselves “a time out” to look over the good things in our lives and say thank you. At my house, we actually write thank you notes to people we love and mail them.

This leads to good relational health.

2) It’s important to teach our children and others about the benefits of being grateful for all the things and people in our lives.

This leads to good mental health.

3) It’s important to think about, and serve others. In our home, we clean house, literally! We organize closets, drawers and prior to the holidays we donate these unwanted items to the needy. This gets our house ready to receive new items we will acquire at Christmas and keeps us mindful that there are others all around us that we can generously serve.

This leads to good spiritual health.

BONUS: When American families live grateful lives, we take time to relax and appreciate our good fortune, which leads us to teach the benefits of our lives to the next generation, which leads them to be happy, secure and generous people.

This leads to good patriotic health!

Please share with us why Thanksgiving is an important holiday to you?

Character Matters!

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 04:25:26 GMT

Character Matters!

As I continue to write Character Development Curriculum for the National Foundation of Patriotism, I am saddened to read about the constant barrage of our leaders “fall from grace” as they sink from secret affairs and misdealing, into full blown scandal. It’s easy to sympathize with one party while we demonize the other, but when the dust settles, I have to ask who is the biggest loser here?

I am compelled to think it’s the citizens of our society. The watering down of American ideals and principles. Principles that made our nation great from its humble beginnings. I’m not interested in peeking into the private lives of any of our citizens and I’m not passing judgment, far from it.

My interest lies in the truth about personal character, personal integrity and personal responsibility. What happens in the lives of those who compromise is vast and often comes with grave consequences. At the heart of all rules and regulations is the protection of our citizens. But who protects us from ourselves?

I offer a gentle reminder for those who care about America. We all make mistakes. But this nation is still One Nation Under God. We must remain Indivisible, for Liberty and Justice to come to All. Every American citizen needs to take a careful look first at ourselves, then at our choices, then at those we put in office, but ultimately to God. 97% of American citizens say they believe in God, but less than 30% actually attend church regularly.

Our perception isn’t matching our reality here. When it comes to character matters, Character Matters !

Patriotism around the Dinner Table

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 06:07:55 GMT

I was raised in an Italian American family. The dinner table was not optional. Everyone was expected to make it home for dinner or else! As the years rolled on and our lives became more complicated, we resorted to Sunday dinner at our grandmother’s house.

I am the grandmother in my family now. And we try to hold to Sunday dinner as well.

Recent studies from The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, and the University of Minnesota all show the impact of strengthening family ties during family dinner, including a lowered risk of smoking, drinking and illicit drug abuse among teenagers, as well as lower incidents of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts and improved grades.

Here is some timely advice from modern day Gramma’s, Nana’s and Mimi’s across America:

Keep it simple – Mom and Dad, you don’t need to stress out, just eat with your kids!
Keep it respectful – no hats at the table, table manners matter, and listening is a virtue
Keep it age appropriate – (babies and toddlers need not be held to table manner rules beyond their ability.) With school aged children, let them talk about their day. With typically demure middle and high schoolers who act like the world is against them starting with you making them come to the dinner table, play the Best and Worst game. Name the best thing and worst thing that happened today.
Keep it relevant – Mom and Dad, its just dinner, not at all the place to deal with problems, arguments or negativity of any kind. This is a stress free zone. You are the adult here, assume and maintain control.
Keep it patriotic! Once in a routine, start to incorporate conversations about your American heritage, start with what patriotism means to you.

Patriotism at Work

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 06:06:03 GMT

Many corporations show their patriotism in meaningful ways. From the most subtle act of flying an American flag on or near headquarters and other offices across America, to participating in patriotic holidays and taking part in fundraising and volunteerism for patriotic initiatives like the Wounded Warrior Project and The National Foundation of Patriotism just to name a few.

Corporate Citizenship is as American as apple pie.

America’s major corporations are even greater examples of Patriotism at Work, as we study the success of countless programs that address global challenges in humanitarian, environmental, and social crisis.

So how do you practice patriotism at your job? Here are a few ways participants in our poll have answered this call!

Top 5 ways to practice your Patriotism at Work:

be a conscientious employee – character matters, and go the “extra mile” whenever possible
participate in corporate opportunities offered through your company’s foundation
volunteer participation in calls to action when needs arise in your company
offer to assist co-workers when under deadlines
patriotism is more than waving a flag, its about volunteering, supporting, donating, appreciating, and helping whenever possible

Patriotism At Work, pass it on!

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