The only question about handwriting styles used to be “Palmer” or “Spincerian”. Today, the question is whether children should be taught cursive writing at all – and that is a sad commentary on our culture.

During the trial of George Zimmerman, one witness took the stand and famously testified that she could not read the letter that she said was sent by her but written by a friend. The reason she gave when cross-examined? “I can’t read cursive.” Have we descended that low? Has the cold, sterile printed word replaced the smooth flowing character of cursive? Will the next generation be incapable of reading anything that doesn’t appear on the screen of the latest digital gadget? If Common Core Curriculum is allowed to take root, then the answer will be “yes”. Cursive writing is nowhere to be found in that indoctrination system masked as education.

It wasn’t until just a few years ago that I “rediscovered” cursive writing. Coming from a technical background, printed characters were the standard. One of my early jobs out of college was designing material handling equipment for the textile industry. At that time, drawings were done on paper, using a T-square, pencil, and drafting instruments. In college, we were taught exactly how to print in the Drafting classes, and that’s how it was done on the job.

The text on technical drawings was always printed in a very standardized style. Now, however, I try to use cursive writing whenever possible, and almost always with a fountain pen. I started by paying close attention to my signature, and then using that same care in notes and letters. Since I now make my living writing software, there is little room for cursive other than making notes to myself, but I still use it whenever I can.

Among the collection of home schooling books that we have for our grandchildren is the Spencerian Penmanship book.

While the primary Confederate Colonel interest in this video is the shift from agrarian to industrial society, he brings an important message about why Common Core must be opposed and stopped. For our part, we choose to home school and completely bypass the government indoctrination system.

In addition, this is a good time to point out another project that I am working on – The New Southern Agrarians. From the home page of The New Southern Agrarians:

What is Southern Agrarianism? Who were the Southern Agrarians and what did they believe? Does Southern Agrarianism have a place in today’s society? More importantly, does Southern Agrarianism show us a better way – a new path to take as we walk away from the rubble of a collapsed civilization built upon that which the Southern Agrarians warned us about? Those questions, and more, are what this web site hopes to answer.

The New Southern Agrarians is little more than what is quoted above at this time. It is, however, something I consider to be an important project and one that I will be working on.

Scoutmaster – by Norman Rockwell

The Boy Scouts is no more, but there are still boys. There are still vast woods and lots of sticks with which to build fires. There are still plenty of good men who want to introduce boys to manhood. One doesn’t need a corporate-funded super-organization to take a pack of boys into the woods and learn about survival. It’s time to begin anew.

I have titled this post “Boy Scouts Version 3.0″ to identify what comes next. I was fortunate enough to have been a Boy Scout during version 1.0 – before political correctness did what it always does and destroy the traditional culture. I was in Scouting in the early 1960’s. What we are seeing now is version 2.0, but it won’t be long before 2.0 will be so different from 1.0 as to be unrecognizable as the same organization. In time, the Boy Scouts will be much like a church that decides it is more important to please Man than to obey God. The good people begin to leave as the worldly people take over. The process accelerates until it becomes little more than a social club for nice people.

What happens to those who leave because Scouting has become what it was intended to protect boys and young men from? The Thinking Housewife is correct:
• There are still plenty of good men who want to help boys become men.
• There is no requirement for a massive organization and corporate sponsorship.

It is time for the Scouting equivalent of Home-schooling.

Three things come to mind as I consider where this country is headed – and where we are being dragged against our will. The first two are signposts along the way. The last is a look back at the culture and civilization America is leaving behind.

• The ban on women in combat has now been removed. Since the Old Testament days, the idea of sending women into combat was simply unthinkable. For thousands of years of human history, we had the good sense to understand the different roles of men and women in society. No civilized society worthy of the name would even consider such an idea. But then, we no longer are a civilized society, are we? The military is no longer a force to defend against foreign enemies and a deterrent to aggression. With this following in the footsteps of embracing open homosexuals in the military, our armed forces are now just another instrument of social change.

• The Boy Scouts of America have announced that they may lift the ban on homosexual Scouts and Scout leaders. The Boy Scout Oath ends with the words, “To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.” Those are words that helped guide untold thousands of young boys into manhood – including myself. Those are words that will no longer have any real meaning if Scouting caves in under the pressure of the Cultural Marxists now in charge. One of the few remaining institutions that stood for what is good and right appears about to crumble.

• In contrast to those two items, our church just finished its 15th annual Bible Conference. One of my roles during the conference is to take photos to post on our church web site. As I snapped photos of the people during this four-day event, I was struck by the stark difference between what I saw there and what is now celebrated as the norm of present-day American “culture.” There were individuals and families (some spanning three generations), the ladies were all dressed modestly, the men were neatly dressed and well groomed. Everyone was as kind and polite as can be. People pitched in to help in any way they could. It was a slice of Norman Rockwell Americana. It was the way life is supposed to be in a civilized Western society.

Find and cherish the enclaves of our culture. Nurture and care for them. We are truly Leaving the American Sector.

There are, of course, many forms of monarchy. What comes to mind for most people today is an absolute monarchy where the king lives as some sort of cartoonish, villainous character as often portrayed in movies. I suppose there is an example of that somewhere in history, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. No, we’re talking about men and women who have been raised from birth with the objective of leading a nation; who understand the realities and the give-and-take of any leadership position; who are motivated not by what they must do to get elected and re-elected, but by a sense of duty and responsibility.

Do phrases such as “constitutional monarchy” or “libertarian monarchy” sound contradictory? If so, open your mind a bit and consider what America has become – and what might have been a better choice. Consider it an intellectual challenge rather than a political proposal.

The Mad Monarchist is a blog that I read regularly. Today’s post is titled Rebutting Republican Myths and is a good starting point for an open-minded look at how government works. The author addresses the following objections raised against monarchy as a form of government, and then rebuts them:

• Monarchies are un-democratic!
• Monarchies are too expensive!
• Hereditary monarchy just isn’t fair!
• Monarchies are dangerous! What if the monarch is incompetent?
• Monarchy is an archaic throwback! It’s simply out of date!
• What about cruel monarchs like Nero or Attila the Hun? Surely no benefits could be worth risking leaders like that!
• Royals are too out of touch. They have no idea how regular people live.
• At best, monarchs are unnecessary. A president could do just as good a job.
• Monarchies must be bad or else there would be more of them!
• Monarchs are so set apart, they cannot represent ordinary people.
• Republics bring progress, monarchies only oppress.

Be sure to read the full Rebutting Republican Myths post.

An awareness of ancestors who prevailed in a time that was far more demanding than what we face today serves to inspire us to excel in our own lives.

There is something that is built into all of us such that we don’t want to disrespect the family name (and by extension, the family heritage). Think of the genuine disappointment and disgust that many feel when we see members of the British Royal Family engaging in behavior that any decent person would be highly embarrassed and remorseful.

This is a repost from the United Families International site – part of my daily reading schedule. It was written by Greg Barlow.

I’m not qualified to offer an opinion on the details or validity of this theory but it does provide an interesting opportunity to reflect upon how our lives might leave an imprint upon our posterity, not just for immediate generations but for undetermined numbers of generations well into the future.

BYU TV offers a very interesting series called ‘The Generations Project’. Each episode features a person who is seeking to gain context to their lives by researching the life experiences of their ancestors. It is fascinating and instructive to watch the process of discovery and the power of meaningful connections that are made with ancestors of earlier generations.

My eldest granddaughter bears her grandmother’s maiden name as her given name. Interestingly, even though a young girl, she feels a special obligation to carry her name in a manner that would please her great grandfather whom she has never met him. She is also always interested in learning more about his life. Is her interest and sense of obligation genetic or is it just curiosity? I don’t know, but clearly there is a connection that bridges the restriction of mortality and it helps form her understanding of who she is.

The idea of ancestral experiences having a impact upon our lives seems a universe removed from our current culture in which 40 percent of all children are born out of wedlock with little, if any, prospect of connecting with a father – let alone distant forbearers.

In the headlong rush to redefine marriage and family in ways that accommodate the here and now of sexual and lifestyle preferences, it may do us well to be mindful of the value of the past and future of family bonds and parental influence.

To that end, this is a list of tangible things we can do, presented in no particular order.

1. Boldly proclaim the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Leading a soul to eternal salvation is a greater accomplishment than anything else in this life.
2. Live a virtuous life at home, at work, and in public. Always speak the truth. We are ambassadors of our great Southern culture and must serve as an example of what that culture stands for.
3. Be part of a church that truly believes The Bible ¹. as the literal word of God – and acts on it. There are far too many modernist churches that lower standards and try to become like the rest of the world. If you’re in one of those modernist churches, leave and find a real church that is not focused on entertaining the congregation.
4. Use the power of the spoken and written word to advance the cause of restoring civility to America.
5. Dress more formally than what is customary in today’s society.
6. Pay close attention to manners and etiquette, and make them a part of your daily life.
7. Pray – not a vain repetition, but pray like you are talking directly with The God who created the entire universe, because that’s exactly what you are doing. He listens to “specks of dust” like us.
8. Seek out like-minded people, and form strong bonds with them.
9. Treat others with respect. As conditions worsen, there will be those who proudly provided for their families in the past, but find themselves without work or, if they are fortunate, doing menial work. Your turn may come. While those who willingly live off of money stolen from the productive deserve our open contempt, resist the urge unless pressed.
10. Follow the Boy Scout slogan of “Do a Good Turn Daily”. Find some way to help someone who would not expect it.
11. Follow the Boy Scout motto of “Be Prepared”. When hard times come, you can depend on no one but yourself and your closest friends and family.
12. Produce some of your own food by gardening or small-scale farming, and raising chickens. Those are valuable skills that cannot be learned by just reading a book. It is also the key to our Southern Agrarian culture.
13. Understand what Southern Agrarianism is by reading I’ll Take My Stand, by Twelve Southerners.
14. If you are living in an urban area, move to a semi-rural or rural area. The cities are not only increasingly dangerous, they are corrosive to the soul.
15. Arm yourself and learn and practice to become effective in the defense of yourself and your family. Armed men are free men – disarmed men are slaves.
16. Turn off the TV, cancel the cable subscription, and disconnect the antenna. TV has done more than anything else to destroy our culture. Don’t allow the filth and propaganda into your home.
17. Home-school your children and help and support other home-schoolers if you can.
18. Take control of your future by investing your retirement savings yourself so that the government cannot gain control of it ².
19. Make your home more self-sufficient: dig a well, own a sewing machine ³ to make and repair your clothes, install a wood heating stove, increase the insulation in your attic.
20. Secure your home. Rampant crime is just one of the results of a decaying society where civility is no longer revered.
21. Embrace old-school ways of doing things: use paper and pen rather than an electronic device for taking notes (bonus points for using a fountain pen ⁴); shave with a double-edge safety razor and brush and mug rather than the latest multi-blade gizmo; resist the temptation to automatically upgrade to the latest technology; consider using open source software and Linux rather than falling into the Windows/Mac trap.
22. Resolve to give no credibility to political correctness. When it comes up, question it and force the source to justify what was said or written. Don’t accept it.
23. Watch your language. Make a conscious effort to avoid any obscene or profane word coming from your lips. Crude language identifies the speaker with the worst elements of any society. That such language is now commonly used by “celebrities” is reason enough to shun it.
24. Cherish those who are close to you and resolve to repair any relationships that need repairing. Your family, your spouse, your friends – those are more important now than ever, and will become even more so in the future.
25. Display the Confederate flag – any one of them – on a regular basis. (see the Code of Confederate Flag Etiquette)
26. Sharing a meal as a family is a time-honored tradition. Make the extra effort to have a more formal, structured dinner.
27. Resolve to take away the power that the word “racist” has over us; at the same time, remember to treat all men with the respect they deserve.
28. Language is an important part of any culture – the English language is the language of our people. Don’t allow yourself to slip into the sloppy language habits that have become a mark of modern popular culture. Writing and speaking well are the marks of a civilized man. Use correct English in your speech and writing. ⁵
29. Collect books – not digital text, but real paper and ink books that can be read without batteries. As the popularity of digital text increases, there are bargains to be found in used books. ⁶
30. Carry a pocket knife. A generation ago, every Southern male carried a pocket knife – it was almost a rite of passage. Somewhere along the way, the Nanny-state took over, and an incredibly useful tool came to be viewed as a dangerous weapon and a threat to be banned.
31. Get out of debt as quickly as possible. Make it a top priority.
32. Reduce or eliminate your income dependence by laying the foundation for your own business. Find something that you truly enjoy doing and that others are willing to pay for, and acquire the tools and the skills to provide that service or product at a profit. ⁷
33. The Christmas season has become the emblem of materialism in America and a brief glance at the mayhem of “Black Friday” shopping will confirm that. Turning away from the greed and materialism is a wonderful opportunity for a family lesson in setting priorities. Rejecting materialism now will make life easier later when it is forced on America by a failing economy.
34. Find something that you can grow or make at home to give away to others. For some, it is home-canned vegetables or preserves or home-made soap; for my wife and I, it is vanilla extract; for our son, it is egg nog in a variety of flavors. Turn back the clock a bit to a day when people didn’t buy everything from the store, but made it themselves. We also give away much of what our garden produces, and the surplus eggs from our chickens.

This list was inspired by a list posted at The Thinking Housewife blog. Be sure to read the Thinking Housewife post since it covers some things that I did not cover in this post. What can you add to this list?

Don’t Blame Romney, And Don’t Blame The Campaign is the title of an excellent post at The Hay Ride blog. I started to pull out some key quotes, but I ended up quoting nearly the entire article before deciding to limit it to only three paragraphs. Please take a moment to read the original article.

The current iteration of the Democrat Party is socialist to the core. It isn’t amoral, it’s deliberately immoral. It believes in government-sponsored infanticide, government-sponsored theft, unpatrolled borders, the destruction of the 2nd Amendment, the deliberate destruction of Pax Americana in favor of what can only be envisioned as the rise of a Muslim caliphate and the deliberate destruction of the nuclear family. It believes in the redistribution of wealth rather than its creation, which is perhaps the most offensive concept to the American economic ideal imaginable.
•••
In four years we will not recognize our country. In four years we will be without any illusions about the fact that we are in an economic depression. And in four years we will have a war – because war typically follows depression.
•••
Half the country voted against this future. But the other half didn’t. And because, given that choice, they opted for decline and the loss of individual responsibility and freedom.

H/T to Richard G. Williams of the Old Virginia blog.

The Mad Monarch’s August 5 post lays out one of the best analyses I have seen yet about the current controversy over homosexual “marriage”. While it completely skips over the most important reason against it – the Biblical truth that it is a sin that God calls “an abomination” – that is also what makes it so good, since it holds up in even the most secular of arguments.

I have copied some of the key points below, but please be sure to read the full post to get the most from it.

The whole nature of this argument frankly baffles me. By long established tradition “marriage” is defined as the permanent union of one man and one woman. Now, a vocal minority wants to change that definition and when anyone complains about that or voices opposition the retort is that you are being discriminatory by not treating them just like everyone else. What? I’m confused. Of course they are being treated different than everyone else because their behavior is different from that of everyone else. If they were behaving just like everyone else there would be no reason to change the definition in the first place.

In any event, some want their relationships to have the same legal status as that of other legally married people. Why? You don’t need the government to make a commitment to someone and you don’t need the government to give you a license to behave as you please in your own home. The only reason I can see is that these people want government recognition, sanction and effectively the “blessing” of the government of this country which rules on behalf of “we the people”. And that is where I am forced to get involved -forced- in something I have no desire to. By my vote and by my words they want me, through my government and personally if they ever met me, to say what they’re doing is okay. That is what it comes down to. They don’t just want me to let them do it, they want me, through our representative government, to officially and publicly approve of them doing it. I cannot. I will not.

The BBC broadcast a documentary titled Rivers of Blood. It begins with one man – Enoch Powell – using his position of leadership to warn his countrymen of the grave threat they face as the gathering storm begins to assail English culture and turn England into a land completely alien to those who inherited one of the greatest nations on earth. He warned that England was losing her sense of national identity, the shared values and traditions and history, the common thread that unites the English as a people. When Mr. Powell made his “Rivers of Blood” speech forty years ago, the term “political correctness” had not yet been coined, but that is what was at work

The force that destroyed England was a political establishment that used uncontrolled immigration as a weapon. Most nations can absorb small numbers of immigrants from other cultures without damaging the existing culture. In small numbers, immigrants are assimilated into the culture as long as they are not concentrated in certain areas. In large numbers, immigrants become an invading and occupying army. From there, they spread their influence beyond their enclaves of occupation.

The forces that are destroying our once-great land are not new and our experience is not unique. What is happening now in places like Dearborn, Michigan may soon be happening across the country – including our beloved South. The question is – will we recognize the threat and take action to stop it?

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