The Miracle of Appleseed
September 21st, 2008 . by FredIt’s a weird program. I’ll say that right up front, and get it out of my system.
Not weird bad, of course. No sir, weird good - definitely.
A program that breaks down barriers, a program that allows people to connect on a level they’ve not been able to connect on before.
A program that allows people to meet people like they’ve never met before. Serious people, thinking people, awake people, people you don’t usually find as your next-door neighbor, your co-worker(s), even your family and relatives - much less your friends - but there they are, at Appleseed, the people you’ve been looking for all your life, sometimes without realizing it - serious, thinking, awake, solid, reliable, definitely not fair-weather friends - and if they show up none of those things, they like as not will leave at least like some of them, as the Appleseed magic starts to work…
It’s a weird program. (Did I say that already?)
A program which has adopted a George Washington quote as it’s official anthem: “We have therefore to resolve to conquer or die: Our own Country’s Honor, all call upon us for a vigorous and manly exertion, and if we now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole world. Let us therefore rely upon the goodness of the Cause, and the aid of the supreme Being, in whose hands Victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble Actions– The Eyes of all our Countrymen are now upon us, and we shall have their blessings, and praises, if happily we are the instruments of saving them from the Tyranny mediated against them. Let us therefore animate and encourage each other, and show the whole world, that a free man contending for Liberty on his own ground is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth.” (General Orders, 2 July 1776)
A program that believes that “to remember, is to honor” - and that Rev War vets need to be remembered - and honored. They got little enough honor, and no personal reward - in fact, lost lives, treasure and sometimes future - back then. And were paid, if at all, in worthless script. Now is a good time to bring them once again back to the forefront of the nation, and let the nation remember, and honor them.
Appleseed is a program that adopts the words of the founders to guide us in troubled times (they sure went thru some troubled times), so that history does not repeat itself. And who’s to say that “troubled times” do not lie before us?
Here’s some more words, directly from those men, straight to you, over two centuries later:
“The hour is fast approaching, on which the Honor and Success of this army, and the safety of our bleeding Country depend. Remember officers and Soldiers, that you are Freemen, fighting for the blessings of Liberty - that slavery will be your portion, and that of your posterity, if you do not acquit yourselves like men.” (General Orders, 23 August 1776)
“…acquit yourselves like men”? Is that some good advice? Is that advice you should follow when making decisions, today?
“The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will deliver them. The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die.” - Address to the Continental Army before the Battle of Long Island (27 August 1776)
“Courage”, “conduct”, “choice”, “brave resistance, or the most abject submission”, “resolve” - which of those words are not worthy of being repeated today, and worthy of being used as guidance? Of being used, by you, in everyday life?
As if that’s not enough, consider words that every American should have engraved in his heart:
“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their county; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny like hell is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.” — Tom Paine
The irony of this devastating and poignant quote brimming over with truth is that Tom Paine could afford to castigate sunshine patriots and summer soldiers, when we’d give our eye teeth for more of ‘em, today. After all, summer soldiers and sunshine patriots are at least off the couch, at least, during fair weather…
“The battle, Sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, Sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable; and let it come! I repeat, Sir, let it come!” — Patrick Henry
“They tell us Sir, that we are weak — unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature has placed in our power.” — Patrick Henry
Stirring and powerful words - but are they strong enough to motivate couch-sitting Americans today? We don’t know, and we need to find out…
“We fight, not to enslave, but to set a country free, and to make room upon the earth for honest men to live in. In such as cause we are sure we are right…” — Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, Number IV, Sep. 12, 1777
When was the last time you were part of a cause where you are “sure you are right”? Can Appleseed be that cause? It can, but it requires one simple, yet monumental preliminary task: You have to get off the couch, first…
“It is a common observation here that our cause is the cause of all mankind, and that we are fighting for their liberty in defending our own.” - Benjamin Franklin, letter to Samuel Cooper, May 1, 1777
You gotta love BF, and want to know more about the man, and his life. Feel free to go to your local library, and check out a book on him.
“…we will not tamely submit — appealing to Heaven for the justice of our cause, we determine to die or be free ….” - Joseph Warren, American account of the Battle of Lexington, 1775
Upon learning of the death of young Dr. Warren at Bunker Hill, the new nation went into mourning for the loss of a great leader. Like Isaac Davis, he was cut down before he could really make his mark. Do you feel just a slight obligation to repay just a penny or two of the debt you owe these men, who paid with their lives for your freedom?
“Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. Our enemies are numerous and powerful; but we have many friends, determining to be free, and heaven and earth will aid the resolution. On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question, on which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves.” - Joseph Warren, Boston Massacre Oration, 1775
“…enemies are numerous and powerful”? How is our nation different now from back then? Do we have numerous and powerful enemies, able to cross our borders and bring skyscrapers to the ground?
Do we have American citizens, willing and anxious to bring our great country down, to surrender sovereignty to some “world community”?
Can you come up with a simple program that teaches marksmanship and heritage, without gun owners - gun owners, mind you - coming out of the woodwork to pan the program, to gladly (sometimes, gleefully) tell you why it won’t work - all the while as they sit on the couch, figuratively fiddling while Rome burns?
All you have to do is try to do something, only to face what seem to be hordes of people who’ll say anything to stop you. But this is no different from the societal facts of the Rev War, even if it’s another “forgotten lesson of history” that needs to be relearned.
“I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm’s way.” - John Paul Jones, letter to M. Le Ray de Chaumont, November 16, 1778
I’m willing to be that when it came time to vocalizing those sentiments, John Paul simply said “Give me a fast ship, for I intend to go in harm’s way.” Simple language often triumphs flowery language.
“…Let us die here rather than retreat.” - Alexander Hamilton at the Battle of Monmouth.
Here’s some simple language from a man with a cold rationalist outlook on life who let his devotion to the Revolution slip out a bit with that comment. An artillery captain who did not hesitate to bring his cannon up to a building full of Redcoats, and start to take it apart with point-blank fire. Name another politician who’s done that, lately.
“We fight, get beat, rise, and fight again.” - Nathaniel Greene, commenting on the war in the South.
Again, simple words - from the man arguably second only to Washington in his value to winning the Rev War (there’s a lesson there, for Benedict Arnolds who put ego before mission, as Benedict could have earned that wonderful accolade for himself…) - and, in their simplicity, expressive of a calm determination that underlies a man committed, absolutely, to the notion of “Liberty or Death!”
“I have not yet begun to fight!” — Captain John Paul Jones, response to a demand to surrender, September 23, 1779
Showing J P Jones could verbalize in direct, simple fashion, with great effect and impact, when needed. His ship was sinking at the time.
“I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” — Nathan Hale, before being hanged by the British, September 22, 1776
Grit, and iron determination, in those words. When was the last time you saw such in anyone you know? There are many in Appleseed with that same grit and determination about saving their country.
“Posterity, you will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in heaven that ever I took half the pains to preserve it.” - John Adams
Is it really possible that John Adams could be leaning over Heaven’s balcony, looking down on the country that has, in his opinion, gone to H - but looking closer, seeing Appleseeds across the land - and a little smile flickers across his face, and he starts calling, “Sam [Adams], Tom [Jefferson], Patrick [Henry], John [Hancock] - come see what’s happening! You won’t believe this!” And word quickly spreads… 
“As to the history of the revolution, my ideas may be peculiar, perhaps singular. What do we mean by the Revolution? The war? That was no part of the revolution; it was only an effect and consequence of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people, and this was effected from 1760 - 1775, in the course of fifteen years, before a drop of blood was shed at Lexington.” - John Adams, Letter to Thomas Jefferson (1815-08-24), The Works of John Adams
A view of the Revolution you never heard about in school…
“What do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations… This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.” - John Adams, Letter to H. Niles (1818-02-13)
“Minds and hearts”? Do you think the American Revolution still, to this day, lives on in the hearts and minds of its people? Do you think we are a better country for having forgotten the past?
“We are in the very midst of a revolution the most complete, unexpected and remarkable of any in the history of nations.” - John Adams, letter to William Cushing, June 9, 1776
And the surprising thing about it is, if you continue reading the founders, the strong emphasis they put on an awake, educated American public as ensuring the continuance of Liberty
With guidance like that, how can Appleseed go wrong? Is it possible that Appleseed is, after all, about awakening the American public and educating them on the value of their heritage - and the need to protect it for future generations?
There are those of us in the program who are continually surprised that an outfit of amateur American volunteers can become as professional as we have, and grown as fast as we have.
Try and organize something today that involves Americans working as a team, and I can about guarantee you that your initial feeling will be that “Chinese fire drill” needs to be changed to “American fire drill”.
But Americans are the “can do” people - at least, they were once. And they can be, again.
Appleseed is proving that.
Here’s some more examples of Appleseed magic:
The Operation Iraqi Freedom vet who came up to me at the end of the big Appleseed in April 2006 in Evansville, IN and said, “Fred, I just want you to know that I got back from Iraq several months ago; and ever since I’ve been back, there’s been some distance, some barrier, between myself and my Jr High daughter which I’ve not been able to bridge. Today, as we spent the day working out sight adjustment problems and focusing on the steps to firing a shot, the barrier disappeared. We are talking, freely, again! Thank you, and thank Appleseed.”
A more recent one: “My 15 year old daughter fired at the New York AS [Appleseed] and as soon as she got home, opened up every thing she could find on 19 April and the Declaration of Independence. Until that moment it was just a class in school. She has her eyes open now.”
We have teenagers who are on the track to becoming instructors. Think that’s reversing the flow, having young teenagers teaching 50 and 60 year old guys how to shoot? Of course, those old guys have grandkids back home that they can teach what they just learned from those teenagers, so the flow is reversed back to normal - thank heaven!
Yet, on April 19th, 1775, the youngest American to die was 13 years old. If you’re old enough to die for freedom, should you not be old enough to teach it?
In Grant’s Pass, OR, an instructor’s 11-yr-old son, who knew his stuff, was put to individually working with two sisters, one 5 and one 7 - and I watched him work with them all day, with them seriously absorbing what he was telling them. It would warm your heart, to have seen ‘em…
And no recitation of Appleseed miracles would be complete without the story of “the reluctant lady’ whose husband attended an AS in CA, was bitten by the AS bug, went home to WI, persuaded his reluctant wife to go to an Illinois AS (showing the nationwide reach of this program). She, not looking forward to laying in the dirt and sun, dealing with sweat, bugs, and other discomfort, made him promise they’d be home Sunday for the birthday parties of their daughter and son-in-law. At Saturday’s end, driving back up to WI, and talking about the day, there was a silence. Then she said, “Do you think we can cancel the birthday parties, and come back to AS tomorrow?”
Since then, she (and her husband) have been active in getting Appleseeds going in WI and Minnesota, and she recently traveled with her husband to Tennessee to teach an Appleseed there. Is there something special about a program that can appeal to - and motivate - women, as well as men?
And last, but certainly not least, the Appleseeder now serving in Iraq, who sent a message back, via his parents: “Tell Fred, it works!”