Why Heritage is Important: An Indiana Experience

[West]

In my experience, one tends to miss certain things that the outside world partakes when one is removed from that outside world, and involves her or himself with like-minded people and trends.

I have a particularly unfortunate story that I wish to share with you all.

When I was in high school, we were literally too poor to have cable TV.  We had a set of bunny ears on top of the TV and got four or five local channels.  Basically enough to watch football during the regular season.  Since then, I have never much fancied regular television; oh I do like to watch my share of movies, but I generally do internet work, read, or am outside (weather permitting).  My family and I have had cable off and on, but for the most part for the last four years or so, I have not had TV, and watched very little.  I also do not listen to the radio, hang out in malls, or spend a lot of time in Wally World.  So, you could say, I am ... separated from the MSM and the average Joe.

On Monday an article came out, and was in the news,  which some of you may have heard.  "After 378 years, NH Tuttle Family Loses Family Farm."
http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/one-of-nations-oldest-family-farms-goes-up-for-sale/19576713

As the story went on, it became clear to me that Fred is more right than I though: The Ship of State is Sinking.

But that is not what this is about.

When the story ended, a particular person in the room I was in immediately said: "I don't understand how they could have had the farm for 370 something years, the United States hasn't even been around that long.  I mean, the country was founded in 1776.."

I couldn't let this one go.  I simply replied that Columbus discovered the Americas in the late 15th century, and settlers started pilgrimage NA within a couple of years.  However historically accurate this is is irrelevant, because the Old World started Colonizing the New World immediately, and there have been 'settlers' in NA for over 400 years.

After I said that, another person piped up with the SAME EXACT THING!  America founded in 1776 blah blah blah...

I walked out.  It was ridiculous.

I really wanted to go on a rant about how people have been here that long, that George Washington wasn't the first President, the Constitution wasn't written in 1776 and wasn't signed by Alfred Hitchcock or Lincoln, Kennedy, or Schwarzenegger.  I couldn't -- I knew it wouldn't do any good.

It's the same kind of ignorance I am exposed to whenever I am out and about; people talking about the Arizona bill, the debt, jobs lost, the auto industry, a mosque in NYC, the wars we are involved in...

Unfortunately most of these people don't know the REAL issues, don't know the OTHER SIDE of the story, and have only listened to what the talking heads are telling them.  I am not saying don't get involved, or do get involved.  I am not saying any of this is BAD or GOOD, but the point is that what I see is that no one bothers to find out what the truth is, and they display that openly.  They don't know where we came from, and therefore can't see where we are going.

We are not supposed to forget the men and women of Lexington and Concord, of Bunker Hill and the Cowpens, of New Orleans and Gettysburg, of the Alamo and Iwo Jima, of Omaha Beach and the Battle of the Bulge, and of Korea, Vietnam, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan.  Nor the hundreds of thousands or others from America, and the Millions abroad.

But, we have forgotten.  Or should I say, some of us never remembered.

What can we do?  What can I do?  Well, my first question would be: What would Robert Kirkwood do?  In that, lies my answer.  I suppose he would quietly show them, through action and with patience.  And if that failed, he would load his musket, fix his bayonet, and lead a wheel to flank the others' line.

We can't give up.  Double the numbers?  Have to; are doing.  Hand out Flyers, packets, heck even leftover t-shirts?  Working on it.

Persistence.  That's what makes us... us.  The will to drive on even in the face of challenges such as these, what we are going through these days.  It's really not that bad, or that tough.  But, if it is a sign to come...

We better remember our heritage.

West

[West]

I also wanted to share another experience I have had with you all relating to my time with Appleseed, my reason for going to and staying with, Appleseed.

I am a Marksmanship Competitor for the Delaware Air National Guard.  I have participated in 7 matches in two and a half years, and I am going to be going to my eighth in two weeks.  I am going to tell you what Appleseed has done for me, that nothing else has come close to in my marksmanship and personal life.

In October of last year I went to the National Match for the Army and Air Guard.  This is basically the Championships, and I had been doing fairly well all year.  I was beat out by a teammate in August of last year, and when I got to the National Match and did well on the pistol side, but poorly on the rifle side, I had to figure out something to help this downward trend of rifle skill.

I had found the Appleseed project about a year earlier when it was much smaller, and much further away.  I believe that Athens, Ohio was the closest at that time.  Last October I found the Stinson, WV shoot and my marksmanship career changed.

In one weekend at an Appleseed I learned more about my rifle, my shooting ability, and my heritage than I had in the previous two years of shooting.  I had been studying the constitution and the principles of liberty and freedom for about the same amount of time, but nothing came close to the passion and ability that I gained for marksmanship, and how it ties to each and every one of us to everyone else, until that weekend.

I shot a 208 near the end of the day Sunday, but couldn't claim that rifleman patch.  Undaunted, I chose to go the very next weekend to another shoot in Manheim, PA - literally three or four miles from one of the ranges on which I compete.

I claimed my Rifleman patch, and my Orange hat.  And my life has catapulted me into an area that I hadn't thought I would be able to be a part, and I am grateful for it.  I am grateful for all of you.

I am telling you all this because of this:

Through the skills and disciplines that I learned through Appleseed Project I have shot my highest scores ever, consistently going higher every time I shoot for practice.  Each time I shoot it is no less than 5 points higher than the last time.

Remember that small adage "The Target doesn't lie" ?  Well, this relates to real life as well.  I have set my sights on a target, and I am attaining that goal.  One step at a time, closer and closer every day.

Now, I shoot combat matches.  They pace is fast, and the scoring rings are tiny.  But they are practical applications for sustaining marksmanship ability that should be taught to every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine that ever join the force, and stand guard. 

I understand that this is not Appleseed related, and it should be stated again that I am a member of the US Military and do not advocate or advance any other cause based on what I have said above, or what is to follow, except my own personal attainment of goals I see myself working toward.

In this context, and with this understanding, I want to thank each and every one of you for what you do, because without you I would not be where I am right now in attaining these goals.  And I am going to tell you what I am going to do, and have done.

I have shot, in practice, a higher score than the National Champion did last year at the National Match.

The total that can be achieved is a 200.  That is 40 perfectly placed shots within a 6 inch circle from 30yds - 15 yds.  That's 10 shots per stage, 5 in each magazine, with a holster draw, a reload, and a target transition.  Thats 1 minute at 30yds, and 15 seconds at 15 yards with all that added.

And I am thanking you because what I learned about myself, my heritage, and my rifle skill has translated directly over to the use of a pistol in such a match, and I know that my scores going higher and higher, I will win the upcoming match, and the national match this year for pistol, and if I keep at it, for rifle too.

So again:  Thank you.  Thank you for teaching me, thank you for being there for me, and with me, and thank you for allowing me to stand beside you all, in the teaching, this remembering.  I have learned more about myself through you all, through this program, about responsibility and care, public awareness and public interaction, and personal achievement. 

Without our heritage, none of this would be possible.

Yours truly,

West

[AZOpie]

It's always nice to hear of what a difference Appleseed has made in people's lives. I know that those who become involved in the instructing end get a little something extra, and for each of us it's a little different. When it comes to honing your own marksmanship skills, teaching seems to make a giant difference, at least for me. Good luck in the upcoming matches. And if you are doing Little Rock again this year, make sure you go to Grandpas for dinner one night for me - best catfsh I ever had.


AZO

[Gordon]

West, I had the pleasure of intersecting at an Appleseed weekend with you in Stinson, back in December -- maybe you remember.

I am SO gratified to read your posts. In fact, with your permission, I'd like to use parts of the latter one for various 7th step ideas.

And I'm glad to see how fast you've progressed, and what you're doing in the program.

Truly, "Appleseed is a character improvement program". I never cease to be amazed at the quality of people we have.

Carry on, brother!
-FM