Some things about choices never change...

 My cousin, long time resident in the South, probably had it with the hate groups holding up the Confederate Battle Flag, and the 'the South was all racists and slave holders' folks attacking the Confederate Battle flag for the twisted logic that symbols mean whatever we say they do - so there! He calmly suggested if one wanted to fly a real rebel flag one should raise the circle of thirteen five pointed stars on a field of blue with thirteen red and white alternating stripes, Betsy Ross's best, for that was the original 'rebel' flag. Well, I have bought into that, I will fly that flag at Appleseeds, and from my home periodically in celebration, likely will on the 4th and 5h of November. But from Lexington to Yorktown, the rebels had lots of different flags flying to say they were there, and that they were different and very independent. John Paul Jones flew a few.

  Do you remember the effort to remove the Confederate Battle flag from the Georgia State Flag?
Well, I congratulated two Georgia boys on returning the state flag to its Confederate roots in the last rendition. But the simple folks that don't study History have no idea what the Confederate Flag looked like during the Civil War. They only focus on the battle flag, for it represented what they felt - fear of or pride in.
I have always been sure that it should fly proudly above every Confederate soldier's grave, and for the Confederate Veterans that would rejoin the Union they could have it also, along with Old Glory. You do know that one of the commanders in the Spanish American War was a former Confederate Officer? He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

  Symbolism abounds, at 12 Eastern, we are supposed to fire a round or two or three in opposition to the NEW YORK SAFE act. On Saturday, 1 November. Sound like a good idea to me. Like I need an excuse to fire a round or many on a Saturday. They will be on target.

   So I did my avatar yesterday, posted it on Facebook and the Revolutionary War Veterans Association forum and have had lots of comments, and on Facebook 'likes'. I am famous(?), but that avatar is a personal one, not the official trade marked one of the re-branding effort. Did I mention I am getting a new shooting jacket for my personal shooting? On the way as I type. Looking for a proper working vest to load up with the embroidery and patches of the Appleseed Project, has to have big pockets, a belt for my slim figure (?) and ammunition loops like the Cossack coats for Sharpie markers for adjusting sights and scoring AQTs

   During the second strike of the match, I like to point out that the alerted militia of Concord all had a voice in what they wanted to do to protect the town from the wrath of the Regulars that were out. The young feisty Minutemen were for marching down the road to meet the regulars before they got to Concord. The older more responsible Militia, (mostly husbands with families, shop keepers, and settled down men) wanted to stay in town and meet them here to protect what was most important. The oldest, many veterans of past warfare against the French or the Indians wanted to go back to the hills where everyone trained and look over the North Bridge at what the regulars were doing in Concord. So after discussion, they all did what they supported - yep, they did all three. In the end the Minutemen got much better ideas after noticing they were outnumbered by the bayonet carrying redcoats, about six to one, so they marched quickly back into Concord like they were leading the parade - joining the regular militia units near the Liberty pole, then all deciding that the old men had spoken wisely.. and they marched out to join everyone on the hills above the North Bridge.  The official record doesn't tell it my way, but then History is now written by Wikipedia.

  So when Congress can't agree, nor fifteen people get the same answer for each problem - we end up compromising, or so I am told. Or, we can just go our own way, we only have to compromise when we need to join together to make something happen, like build a bridge - if we are talking about hunting, it can be done alone, but bridge building is better by group effort.

   So, The Poet, the fella in charge of the rebranding effort has the official unveiling of the new logo - striking but very simple. Lends itself to embroidery on polo shirts and stuff. Having watched Japanese logos for years, simplicity wins when it is unique - it becomes immediately a power projection. Where European heraldry failed was making everything part of the picture - cross of Saint George simple, add Saint Andrew, then add Saint Patrick and you have the Union Jack?

   When you look at the symbolism of the quartered and quartered again coat of arms, you realize that the instant hero commander recognition of the simple signs has been taken over by the clerks and bean counters, folks that aren't on the front lines in the massive hack and slash fests of the middle ages.

So the RWVA oval is:

 
and the newer improved RWVA over musket and powder horn over
www.appleseedinfo.org will continue to change to the final version of something that says it all.




The comments are from the RWVA and Facebook observers with opinions. In the end, history is written by the clerks and bean counters that survive. My challenge to AMERICANS! is to KNOW VERY WELL WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT.

"Looking at the art in Earl's post and at the logo, it seems to me there was something about Isaac Davis that was lost in the translation. In the grayscale on Earl's post we see Davis, square-jawed and resolute, in a position of reluctant determination. In the logo I see an unidentifiable figure leaning back in a casual way, like a modern hipster striking a pose of nonchalance. We see the plow of the citizen-soldier. I know logos are supposed to be simple but to me there is much meaning in the details that is lost in this rendering."

" Great concept. Wording seems a bit off. Who knows "very well what you are about"? Can't be Americans because of the exclamation mark. And whom is the "you" referring to? Is the message supposed to be "Americans know very well what they are about"?" ---
"Maybe the "you" is referring to Americans knowing very well what Isaac Davis is about."

In my mind, it is a call to 'Americans' to know very well what they (you) are about. Ask the youth, they can't understand honor - can they think of themselves as 'Americans' without it? I am concerned enough to go and make the statement and talk in public. I don't have to apologize for being an American, if I am humble it is because I know my weaknesses and am certain that I am not as great as my heroes, but for sure I am still proud to be an American Rifleman.