Monday Morning Rant 142

“Concord Hymn”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.


The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.


On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.


Spirit, that made those heroes dare,
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee."

In 1836, in honor of his grandfather and the other patriots who gathered to defend the Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts against the British Army, Emerson wrote this hymn to be part of the dedication ceremony for the obelisk in memory of the fallen heroes of that day. It was to be sung to the old standard tune of what is commonly known as “Old Hundredth.” You will readily remember it as the (un-) common hymn which opens with these words: “Praise God from who all blessings flow…” As you reread the verse, sing it to that tune and realize a special kinship both to the author and to those who sacrificed all on that noble occasion. While little is made of the last verse, you may agree it is the one that has the most significance.

That day, April 19, 1775, did indeed mark the firing of the shot heard round the world. It is credited as being the day of commencement of hostilities between the British Crown and the citizens of what would become the United States of America. When the alarm was raised to warn of the British incursion into the country side, close to a thousand men responded from all corners of the area to meet the threat. The British purpose was to seize arms and capture some of the leadership who had proven a thorn in their side. By virtue of faulty intelligence and patriot’s eavesdropping the arms had been moved or cleverly concealed. With the warning of the intent to seize them, both Hancock and Adams made a hasty exit.

In fairness, we should be reminded that the British force commenced their march upon orders received about 9 pm the night of the 18th. They chose to use boats to cross over to Cambridge and lacking a suitable landing place were forced to wade the river for a distance to finally come ashore thus arriving waterlogged on the opposite shore. They then faced a seventeen mile march to the first encounter with the colonial militia at Lexington. Even though the British commanders urged the militia to lay down their arms and leave the commons, many refused and the battle was on. Out numbered 10 to 1, the militia at Lexington was ordered to retreat by their commander, Capt. Parker, but some stubbornly stood their ground.

Among them, my personal favorite, Jonas Parker (an older relative of the commander) who, upon hearing the order, advanced, threw his hat upon the ground, filled it with the “possibles” necessary for the smooth bore arms of the day and commenced firing. The advancing British made him one of the first fatal casualties of the conflict at bayonet point. The actual verification of exactly who fired the first shot remains in doubt to this day. Surely, Jonas Parker’s was among the first who fired and inflicted one of the first British casualties. After extensive interviews and other research, the issue remains unclear but the end results of the day’s activities do not. The British returned to Boston under constant hostile fire and seldom left the friendly confines of the town. The revolution was on!

Emerson beseeched the:

“Spirit, that made those heroes dare,
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.”

He could not know how “time and nature” and the “Spirit” has indeed spared the memory and the obelisk that was erected for the occasion. He was able to to see the “children free” as a result of the heroics demonstrated on that fateful day and subsequent others.

Today, we find coincidental occurances on this memorable date which remind us of the will of the people to resist what they perceive to be a hostile government. The Oklahoma City bombing was a response to a similar imagined threat. The Koresh compound at Waco was destroyed along with dozens of people by a government gone power mad. Both occurred shamefully on the anniversary of the encounter chronicled above. There is much to remember and think through thoughtfully on this significant anniversary. Unfortunately, there is little to recommend the actions of government in any of these occasions. We all suffer when violent response becomes the only answer to the people’s greivances. Our prayer is that reason may prevail over overt force. Be certain that the early colonials shared our prayerful request.

Continued Tea Party Violence

The left is in a continued search for violence on the part of the Tea Party Movement. They are hell bent on tarring the participants with the brush of racism, bigotry, and unearned wealth. They maintain, through projection and with the cooperation of a compliant press, the fiction that each Tea Party event is a hotbed of paricipants who share these vile notions. The actual facts of the matter tell a far different story.

Most of the encounters have been at the hands of the SEIU and other leftist goons who have infiltrated the venues and offered their own brand of hate. Their desire to vilify this staunch collection of grannies, teens, housewives, and solid citizens would be laughable if it had not resulted in occasional serious injury and harm to the righteous protestors of a failing government.

Most recently, Allee Bautsch, a fundraiser, and her boyfriend, Joe Brown had attended an event held for Republican governor Bobby Jindal in the French Quarter. When they left walking, they were accosted a short distance from the event and in the ensuing struggle, she suffered five breaks in her leg and her friend had a broken jaw, broken nose and a black eye. All this accompanyed by racial taunts and slurs.

The “non-news” side of this story is the fact that this may well be the first you have heard of it. There has been a near total blackout on this news story from the mainstream media. For all the “chantilly and lace” charm of New Orleans, it does indeed have a dark side and many in a constant state of dependency who await the next government handout. It is difficult at best to hide the racial implications when you commence an attack with the words, “get the little blond b*tch.”

Since this story does not fit the “narrative,” the local press chose to treat it as an underreported street crime and not the obviously planned attack it was on those who represent the people of America in an attempt to restore legitimate government. The fact that Ms Bautsch was not robbed in the assault serves to verify that it was not “street crime.” Obviously, if the political identities had been reversed the media would have had a perfect tale to forward their false assumptions about the Tea Party.

And finally

One feels almost guilty enjoying the advancing Springtime here on the ridge. In the midst of national chaos, it is well to be here on the ridge to watch the full leafing of the trees. The first mowing of the available open space is now complete and Granny is busy planting new additions to her massive flower collection. The day lilies have enjoyed spectacular growth as have the grapes I put in to climb to the roof top trellis on the new deck. Last year’s newly planted azeleas are obviously small but in full riotous flower. Color has returned to erase the gray stains of winter. Even our annual crop of rocks which emerge during the winter has not been as serious as in prior years. God is good!

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon