The new banner header for The Patriot Woodworker woodworking community was created with two ideals in mind, freedom and unity. The Spirit of 76 painting to the right is one of my favorite portrayals of the struggles we endured while fighting for our freedom from the King.

I love this painting, the child who quickly became a man in this painting, beating his drum, seemingly fearless but in reality, full of fear, as he looks on to his older mentors for support. He is about to go into battle, and he looks to his left to make sure that the grown men he looks up to are not wavering and will not wilt once the blistering fire from the English long rifles start raining down hockey sticks upon them.

Note the gent in the middle, ragged, maybe a bit beyond his prime, yet full of fire, he may even be from the old country and he knows what suppression is, and he knows what is truly at stake.

The man playing the fife, haggered from previous battles, hardened, he has seen death up close and personal, and he is ready for more.

The flag bearer at the rear, you cannot see him, but he will not let the flag fall.

The Spirit of 76. These are my own interpretations of the painting, what I see and have loved since I was a child.

Now gaze over to the left of our new banner header. Unite or Die!!! I sourced the following from USA Flag

The rattlesnake was the favorite animal emblem of the Americans even before the Revolution. In 1751 Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazettecarried a bitter article protesting the British practice of sending convicts to America. The author suggested that the colonists return the favor by shipping "a cargo of rattlesnakes, which could be distributed in St. James Park, Spring Garden, and other places of pleasure, and particularly in the nobleman's gardens." Three years later the same paper printed the picture (as seen above) of a snake as a commentary on the Albany Congress. To remind the delegates of the danger of disunity, the serpent was shown cut to pieces. Each segment is marked with the name of a colony, and the motto "Join or Die" below. Other newspapers took up the snake theme.

By 1774 the segments of the snake had grown together, and the motto had been changed to read: "United Now Alive and Free Firm on this Basis Liberty Shall Stand and Thus Supported Ever Bless Our Land Till Time Becomes Eternity"

Other authors felt the rattlesnake was a good example of America's virtues. They argued that it is unique to America; individually its rattles produce no sound, but united they can be heard by all; and while it does not attack unless provoked, it is deadly to step upon one.

 

In this particular flag are the number 9 and 12 representing 9 principles and 12 values, as follows

 

The Nine Principles

1. America is good.
2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.
3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.
4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.
5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.
7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.
8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.
9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.

The Twelve Values

1-Honesty 2-Reverence 3-Hope 4-Thrift 5-Humility 6-Charity 7-Sincerity   Thank you for reading and your interest in our new banner header for The Patriot Woodworker, it is fitting for the times. The greatest thing I like about our new header is, it is completely neutral, non political, unless you call freedom a political agenda. Who can argue the concept of freedom? And who can deny that freedom is achieved through a unified people? Welcome to our new look.

8-Moderation 9-Hard Work 10-Courage 11-Personal Responsibility 12-Gratitude

 

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

I don't like it.

Liked the old one better

I personally like this. It really wouldn't matter to me much what the header was but if you are called Patriot woodworker, then I find it fitting. I enjoy the definitions provided for the paintings used in the header. I think the name Patriot on this site says a lot. That was the one thing that caught my eye and established the first impression it was related to supporting our troops/country. The paintings adopted also refresh or create thought of freedom and how it began. Especially during the present times when it appears our freedoms as we knew them seem to be under scrutiny. Just my two cents! Have a Happy woodworking day, and Happy 4th of July!

Good Morning John,

Dont faint for it has been some time since I replied to these forums as I have been very busy with many other things but, I do check in from time to time. I will soon have my own radio program entitled " Woodworking with Ralph Jones" and will be going up on the inter net via my web site so all can join in and give me feed back for a better program.

I do indeed like the new banner and your explanations below the banner. Keep you site up and running for it is one that provides for the wounded warriors of this nation. God bless and keep up the good work.

 

Ralph

John I absolutely love it and thank you for your comments and the history lesson!

John - very fitting for THIS forum - good show.

A funny thing happened to me on the way to last weekends show.  I blew a tire on my RV and a gentleman stopped to help.  After we got it fixed, I asked the gentleman is he was a patriot (with the thought of giving him one of my patriot cuttings for his generosity).  He said "No, I'm not a patriot.  I'm a Mason."  Figure that one out, y'all.

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Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
EX-21
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'

Nice change John. I like it!

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John Moody
Site Administrator


John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com

John,

           The "Join or Die" flag is one of my favorites. The slogan is based on a superstition that if a snake were cut to pieces and then be burried before sunset, it would come back to life.  I'm also a big fan of the "Pine Tree" flag. This flag was flown on Washington's Cruisers and bore the motto "An Appeal To Heaven". I fly this one at home along with the Bennington flag (I am a Green Mt Boy after all).

 

-Arthur

To be honest with you, I think there should be something about woodworking in it too. 

Thank you all for your comments, your support, and your honesty! Your feedback is very important to us and we take it very seriously.

We are in for a few more changes to our format that will hopefully make the navigation of our site easier to use in the future. Stay tuned!

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops