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BOURBON AMERICA’S NATIVE SPIRIT ON BIN LADEN: WE NEVER GAVE UP ARMED FORCES DAY
AMERICAN PATRIOT BOURBON AMERICA’S NATIVE SPIRIT
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6 SOARING IN SPACE
8 HISTORY IS KIND TO
HARRY TRUMAN
THE SEATTLE SPACE NEEDLE
THE EGG-CELLENT SUCCESS OF
GREEN EGGS AND HAM
12
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
THIS WEEK IN AMERICAN HISTORY
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BOURBON A M E R I CA’ S N AT I V E S P I R I T
Bourbon is a uniquely American whiskey, a barrel aged distilled spirit made largely from corn, rather than the grains of Europe. The name of the drink comes from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon in Kentucky. It remains as closely identified with that state as thoroughbred racing and basketball. 4 AMERICAN PATRIOT
Bourbon began in the 1700s with the first settlers who made it over the Alleghenies through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky. Like most farmers and frontiersmen, they found that getting crops to market over narrow trails and steep mountains was a daunting task. They also soon learned that converting corn and other grains to whiskey made them easily transportable, prevented the excess grain from simply rotting, and gave them some welcome diversion from the rough life of the frontier. Since then, generations of Kentuckians have continued the heritage and tradition of making fine Bourbon, unchanged from the process used by their ancestors centuries before. The name arose when farmers shipped their whiskey in oak barrels — stamped from Bourbon County — down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans. The long trip aged the whiskey and, most importantly, the time in contact with the oak of the barrels gave the spirit a distinct mellow flavor and amber color. Pretty soon, whiskey from Bourbon County grew in popularity and became known as Bourbon whiskey. AMONG THE FEDERAL STANDARDS TODAY FOR BOURBON:
1. Only whiskey produced in the U.S. can be called bourbon. 2. Bourbon must be made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn. 3. Bourbon must be bottled at 80 proof or more. 4. Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak barrels.
In 1964, Congress officially recognized Bourbon’s place in American history by declaring it a distinctive product of the United States. Today, it is the center of a signature industry that helps create nearly thousands of jobs, generates millions in taxes each year, and is an international symbol of craftsmanship and tradition. Bourbon tourism is skyrocketing too, with nearly two million visits from all 50 states and 25 countries to the world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail – including distillery tours and tastings at the likes of Jim Beam, Makers Mark, Wild Turkey and Buffalo Trace. CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF HOW BOURBON IS MADE WITH WILLIE NELSON SINGING BACKGROUND
SOARING IN SEATTLE
THE SPACE NEEDLE
6 AMERICAN PATRIOT
Seattle’s best known landmark is the soaring Space Needle. Indeed, the Needle has been a symbol of the Northwest region since it was built for the 1962 World’s Fair.
The Space Needle was actually a compilation of two architectural designs. Edward Carlson had proposed a giant balloon tethered to the ground, and John Graham envisioned it as a large flying saucer. Together they compromised on the current design, and built a tower with a saucer top that could withstand hurricanes, earthquakes, and high-speed winds.
Renovated in 2001, the Space Needle has become an official landmark. During its designation, the Landmark Preservation Board wrote: “The Space Needlemarks a point in history of the City of Seattle and represents American aspirations towards technological prowess. [It] embodies in its form and construction the era's belief in commerce, technology and progress.”
During the World’s Fair, approximately 20,000 people rode up in the elevator per day. A revolving restaurant and observation deck graced the top of the 605 foot building. The revolving section was balanced so exactly that it only took a one horsepower electric motor. The legs of the structure were painted Astronaut White to give it a futuristic look. The entire building was constructed for $4.5 million, and for a time was the tallest building west of the Mississippi.
Today, one million people visit the Needle annually and it is the number one tourist att raction in the Northwest region. It has become part of the popular culture, featured in many tv shows and movies including Sleepless in Seattle, 10 Things I Hate About You, Grey’s Anatomy and Frasier. CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE OFFICIAL SITE AMERICAN PATRIOT 7
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HISTORY IS KIND TO
HARRY TRUMAN Perhaps our most unlikely President, Harry Truman faced an ebb and flow of public defeats and improbable victories throughout his life. A humble upbringing, failures in business, witness to the ravages of war and poverty gave him a near-perfect pedigree for a failed life. Instead, Truman excelled in the art of politics with a candor and plainspoken demeanor of a man with nothing to prove and nothing to lose. 8 AMERICAN PATRIOT
It is to the Truman Model that modern Presidents
was wary of celebrated generals. As McArthur’s and
aspire, and sometimes pander — a mix of rural
Truman’s views became increasingly conflicted,
wisdom and shrewdness, confidence of experience,
and as McArthur began to defy orders, Truman
stalwart decision making. The blunt, outspoken
sacked him. With trademark candor, Truman told
man from Missouri was no stranger to unpopular
Time: “I fired him [MacArthur] because he
yet principled decisions. Nearing the end of his
wouldn't respect the authority of the President . . .
first presidential term, Truman was set for a land-
I didn't fire him because he was a dumb son of a
slide loss to Thomas E. Dewey, and a revolt from
bitch, although he was, but that's not against the
southern Democrats. Party bosses wanted the
law for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters
President to placate so-called “dixiecrats” by
of them would be in jail.”
supporting the continuance of racial segregation as a legal doctrine. Committing apparent political
Truman also sought a judicious course through the
suicide, Truman signed Presidential Order 9981,
“Red Scare” of the forties and fifties. Though he
fully integrating the U.S. Armed Services. It was
supported measures such as investigating espi-
a matter of principle: he knew the sacrifice and
onage charges, he refused to give in to the grand-
bravery of minority soldiers. Facing the full force
standing of opportunistic politicians. Loyalty
of criticism by the media and his own party,
oaths, to Truman, seemed un-American. Public
American voters reelected Truman in the greatest
trials and blacklists, Truman believed, were meth-
upset in Presidential history.
ods of slander. Though his public image suffered,
AMERICANS NOW RANK TRUMAN IN THE TOP TEN OF ALL PRESIDENTS. Truman would continue to challenge the status
Truman would not waver, stating “These slander
quo on racial issues. On his convictions: “My
mongers are trying to get us so hysterical that no
forebears were Confederates . . . But my very
one will stand up to them for fear of being called
stomach turned over when I had learned that
a communist . . . That is not fair play. That is
Negro soldiers, just back from overseas, were
not Americanism.”
being dumped out of Army trucks in Mississippi and beaten.” Truman would sign numerous bills
Truman proved endlessly controversial and left
and executive orders to advance voting rights and
office with an abysmally low popularity rating.
fair employment for African-Americans, boldly
History has been kind to Truman, however. The
acting despite the creation of political rifts with
publishing of a memoir and spoken word history
the south that remain to this day.
near the end of his life would give Americans a window into his decisions. History would prove
Truman’s most controversial decisions came from
Truman’s actions on race and foreign policy to be
his command of the Armed Services and National
right and ahead of his time. When asked to rank
Security apparatus. His dismissal of General
to their Presidents, Americans now place Truman
McArthur in the darkest period of the Korean con-
in the top ten, and he is viewed in equal favor by
flict would set off a firestorm of outrage. Truman
liberals and conservatives. AMERICAN PATRIOT 9
THE EGG-CELLENT SUCCESS OF
GREEN EGGS AND HAM We have just passed the fiftieth anniversary of the release of Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham. Recently, the children’s classic was recognized as the fourth bestselling English-language children’s book of all time. Green Eggs and Ham was published in 1960 by Random House and has been a favorite ever since. 10 AMERICAN PATRIOT
The author, Ted Seuss Geisel, was born in Springfield MA in 1904. Geisel graduated from Dartmouth and then was awarded a fellowship to Oxford University. He had the goal of one day becoming a professor. However, when he returned to America, a doodler at heart, he tried his hand at cartooning to make a living. A member of Standard Oil saw one of his cartoons in The Saturday Evening Post and hired him to create their advertisements. He spent 15 years in advertising. When WWII broke out, he tried to join the Naval Intelligence. Instead, he ended up in Frank Capra’s Signal Corp, which made propaganda movies supporting the war effort. There he was introduced to the power of animation. When he finished serving, Geisel was offered a job illustrating children’s books, which he did with some success at the Viking publishing house. He then tried his hand at writing as well as il-
“I DO NOT LIKE THEM SAM-I-AM”
lustrating his own books. After being rejected 27 times — that is not a typo! — he caught a
A half-century later, Green Eggs and Ham and
lucky break through an old connection that got
Dr. Seuss have worked themselves into American
a publisher at Vanguard to look at his books.
culture. Every school child across the country
The rest is publishing history.
picks up a Dr. Seuss classic at one time or another. With bright colors, funny rhymes, and now
Green Eggs and Ham became an instant classic.
a rich history, adults and children alike love
It spoke to all the picky eaters out there and to
his books which also include The Cat In The
their parents. The lessons in the charming
Hat and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
rhyming taught the importance of persistence and trying new things. The text is perfect for
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE ANIMATED VERSION OF GREEN EGGS AND HAM
beginner readers since it only includes 50 words. This was actually done on a bet from his publisher that Dr. Seuss could not write a successful book using just 50 words. AMERICAN PATRIOT 11
THE WEST’S BEST
GHOST TOWN
There is a chill in the air even in the warm California days, as visitors stroll the deserted streets of Bodie. This gold mining boomtown once had a population of over 10,000. What has survived looks pretty much the same as when the last inhabitants abandoned it over 50 years ago. 12 AMERICAN PATRIOT
The town was named for prospector William
an occasional boom and bust in the 1890’s, but
Bodey, but misspelled in the transition leading
it was never a truly stable community again.
to everlasting confusion. Bodey was among the
The last Bodie newspaper was printed in 1912.
first to discover gold in Eastern California and
In 1913, the Standard Company closed their
start a stampede into this area of the Sierra Ne-
mines in the region as profits disappeared. The
vada mountains. Standard Company, a mining
railroad was abandoned and the tracks were
company, bought up the land in 1877. People
scrapped. Bodie held onto a loyal population
swarmed in and transformed little Bodie into a
of about 120 people into the 1940s and then
boomtown. Success followed for the next decade
everyone drifted away.
or so and, over the years, Bodie produced over $34 million worth of gold.
As early as 1915, Bodie started became a mecca for automobile tourists. Fearing vandalism, the
At its peak, the town prospered with over 2,000
Cain family, who owned much of the land the
buildings including two banks, sixty-five saloons,
town is situated upon, hired caretakers to pro-
and four volunteer fire stations. It even had a
tect and to maintain the structures. Bodie
section called Chinatown with hundreds of
today is considered the largest and best-pre-
Chinese settlers and a Taoist Temple. The local
served ghost town in the western United States.
newspaper went from a weekly publication to
It is celebrated as favorite American relic from
a tri-weekly publication. Telegraph lines were
the days of the Wild West. A National Historic
installed, connecting the citizenry with the rest
Landmark and a California State Park, it con-
of the country.
sists of 170 remaining buildings and hosts nearly 200,000 visitors a year who walk the
When the California mining industry began to
deserted streets.
decline in the 1880’s, Bodie was hit hard. Min-
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A 1950’S DOCUMENTARY ABOUT BODIE’S HISTORY
ers were lured away to Montana and Arizona in search of greater profit. Bodie went through
AMERICAN PATRIOT 13
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY PETE SOUZA
“Through two administrations we pursued Osama bin Laden and finally last week we got him. Does that mean the "war on terror" is over? Most certainly not, but the terrorists of the world have been dealt a mortal blow, and they have learned again what is — and has always been — our core strength: We never give up.” — BOB SCHIEFFER CBS’S FACE THE NATION, MAY 8, 2011, ON THE DEATH OF OSAMA BIN LADEN
14 AMERICAN PATRIOT
THIS WEEK IN
AMERICAN HISTORY
1949. ARMED FORCES DAY is celebrated annually on the third Saturday of May. It is a day to pay tribute to men and women who serve the United States’ armed forces. Many events across the United States take place on Armed Forces Day to honor Americans in uniform who served their country in times of war and peace. Those who are honored on this day include people who serve the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. Events and activities may include multi-service military displays in areas open for the public. Various educational activities that teach children about the armed forces. On August 31, 1949, Louis Johnson, who was the United States’ Secretary of Defense, announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy and Air Force Days. The event stemmed from the armed forces’ unification under one department – the Department of Defense. Armed Forces Day is also an opportunity for the military to show “state-of-the-art” equipment to Americans.
AMERICAN PATRIOT 15
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