Hardtack Regiment: 154th New York
26th annual decendent reunion.
This year's reunion program will be "Adventures of a Civil War Historian" by Mark Dunkelman, author of four books of 154th New York history (with two more on the way). Mr. Dunkelman will present an overview of his forty-plus years of work on the 154th, with an emphasis on unusual events that have occurred along the way. He will also show artifacts related to the stories. The Cattaraugus County Museum will have special Civil War displays on exhibit in conjunction with the reunion
Cattaraugus County Museum, 9824 Route 16, Machias, NY 14101
Saturday, 16 July at 2 pm
Friday, July 15, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Essential Fourth of July Trivia - Life123
Essential Fourth of July Trivia - Life123
Essential Fourth of July Trivia
By: Kristen Oliveri
This year, throw out some Fourth of July trivia to get your party started. You can cull the fun facts together ahead of time and print them out on red-, white- and blue- colored paper. Try pairing some music and food to go with your patriotic theme.
Fourth of July HistoryWe all assume that we know American history, but your trivia games can be a chance for people to brush up. For example, ask your guests who approved the Declaration of Independence. Nope, it wasn't George Washington. It was the Continental Congress who approved the declaration in 1776, and Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and, of course, John Hancock were among the signers.Barbeque and Fireworks Stats and StatisticsHave you ever wondered how many barbeques take place on Fourth of July? Or how many fireworks are sold across the country? More than 66 million people strap on the aprons and grill up hamburgers and hot dogs on the Fourth, and over $135.6 million is spent on fireworks. Are you also curious to know where all those American flags come from? Oddly enough, they're imported from China, more often than not. According to the Census Bureau, that made China $5.2 million dollars in 2002.
The finalized DOI was NOT SIGNED on July 4th but rather August 8th
Another fun fact to toss out to friends is that there are 30 places in the nation with "liberty" in their name. Try asking guests if they can name a few, and then wow them with answers like Liberty, Missouri, and New Liberty, Iowa.
Fourth of July Music TriviaOf course you want to listen to some patriotic tunes while you're celebrating America's favorite holiday, and you can use that music for a game. First, load up your mp3 player with tunes to play outside. Make sure to have these few on the top of the list: "The Star Spangled Banner," "God Bless the USA," "My Country -tis of Thee," "Born in the USA," "Philadelphia Freedom" and "Yankee Doodle Dandy." Many famous musicians have covered these songs and have put their own spin on them, so check out a few different versions before settling on a play list. Then, quiz your guests to find out how many of them really know all the lyrics to "The Star Spangled Banner" and other patriotic tunes.
Essential Fourth of July Trivia
By: Kristen Oliveri
This year, throw out some Fourth of July trivia to get your party started. You can cull the fun facts together ahead of time and print them out on red-, white- and blue- colored paper. Try pairing some music and food to go with your patriotic theme.
Fourth of July HistoryWe all assume that we know American history, but your trivia games can be a chance for people to brush up. For example, ask your guests who approved the Declaration of Independence. Nope, it wasn't George Washington. It was the Continental Congress who approved the declaration in 1776, and Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and, of course, John Hancock were among the signers.Barbeque and Fireworks Stats and StatisticsHave you ever wondered how many barbeques take place on Fourth of July? Or how many fireworks are sold across the country? More than 66 million people strap on the aprons and grill up hamburgers and hot dogs on the Fourth, and over $135.6 million is spent on fireworks. Are you also curious to know where all those American flags come from? Oddly enough, they're imported from China, more often than not. According to the Census Bureau, that made China $5.2 million dollars in 2002.
The finalized DOI was NOT SIGNED on July 4th but rather August 8th
Another fun fact to toss out to friends is that there are 30 places in the nation with "liberty" in their name. Try asking guests if they can name a few, and then wow them with answers like Liberty, Missouri, and New Liberty, Iowa.
Fourth of July Music TriviaOf course you want to listen to some patriotic tunes while you're celebrating America's favorite holiday, and you can use that music for a game. First, load up your mp3 player with tunes to play outside. Make sure to have these few on the top of the list: "The Star Spangled Banner," "God Bless the USA," "My Country -tis of Thee," "Born in the USA," "Philadelphia Freedom" and "Yankee Doodle Dandy." Many famous musicians have covered these songs and have put their own spin on them, so check out a few different versions before settling on a play list. Then, quiz your guests to find out how many of them really know all the lyrics to "The Star Spangled Banner" and other patriotic tunes.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Veterans Affairs Bans Mention of God at Funerals for Vets - Veterans Resources
Veterans Affairs Bans Mention of God at Funerals for Vets - Veterans Resources
HOUSTON, June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Today, Liberty Institute, on behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars District 4, The American Legion Post 586, and the National Memorial Ladies, returned to federal court with new allegations of religious hostility and unlawful censorship by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and its director of the Houston National Cemetery. Last month, Liberty Institute successfully represented Houston pastor Scott Rainey in the same federal court after Houston VA officials tried to prevent him from praying in Jesus’ name at a Memorial Day ceremony.
“The hostile and discriminatory actions by the Veterans Affairs officials in Houston are outrageous, unconstitutional and must stop,” said Jeff Mateer, Esq., general counsel of Liberty Institute. “Government officials who engage in religious discrimination against citizens are breaking the law. Sadly, this seems to be a pattern of behavior at the Houston VA National Cemetery.”
Today, Liberty Institute amended its original lawsuit that states the Department of Veterans Affairs and its Director of the Houston National Cemetery, Arleen Ocasio, are engaging in religious viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, by adding new incidents of religious hostility including:
VA Forbids Mention of God at Funerals for Veterans and Requires Families to Submit Prayer for Approval to the Government: For 30 years, the VFW District 4 burial team, at the request of the family of the deceased, has honored veterans by performing the VFW burial ritual during private burial services at the Houston National Cemetery. For 20 years, The American Legion Post 586 has honored our veterans by performing its burial ritual for fallen veterans. On at least four separate occasions, government officials told the burial teams that prayer and religious speech could no longer be included in the burial ritual unless the family submits a specific prayer or message in writing to Director Ocasio for her approval. Government official Jose Henriquez also told the VFW Honor Guard Commander, Junior Vice Commander and Chaplain that the word “God” is forbidden.
VA instructs the VFW and a Private Funeral Home that they may not present the option of prayer to families: American Heritage Funeral Home, which sits next to the Houston National Cemetery and specializes in veterans’ funerals, was instructed by government officials that the funeral home may not inform the families that they have the option of requesting prayer in the VFW burial ritual.
VA Tells Volunteers to Remove “God Bless” from Condolence Cards to Grieving Families: About a year ago, Director Ocasio instructed the president of the National Memorial Ladies that the words “God” and “Jesus” are forbidden and that “God Bless” could no longer be written in condolence cards to families. Volunteers also were banned from speaking a religious message when talking directly to veterans’ families on cemetery grounds.
VA Closes Cemetery Chapel; Uses it for Storage: The chapel where families used to gather, pray and reflect has been closed and is now called a “meeting facility” and used for storage. The chapel cross and Bible have been removed and the bells that once used to chime are no longer used.
“On March 15, Director Ocasio told me that I couldn’t say ‘May God grant you grace, mercy and peace’ to grieving families,” said Nobleton Jones, Honor Guard Junior Vice Commander. “Today we ask the government to make it right.”
“All we wanted was to give honor to fallen soldiers,” said Inge Conley, incoming VFW District 4 Commander.
Today’s hearing took place before Federal District Judge Lynn N. Hughes who had granted the original temporary restraining order preventing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from censoring Pastor Rainey’s prayer in May. Judge Hughes gave the government until July 15 to respond to the new allegations and set a status hearing for July 21.
Liberty Institute works to uphold First Amendment freedoms in the courts, legislature and public square. Stay up to date on this case at www.libertyinstitute.org.
HOUSTON, June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Today, Liberty Institute, on behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars District 4, The American Legion Post 586, and the National Memorial Ladies, returned to federal court with new allegations of religious hostility and unlawful censorship by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and its director of the Houston National Cemetery. Last month, Liberty Institute successfully represented Houston pastor Scott Rainey in the same federal court after Houston VA officials tried to prevent him from praying in Jesus’ name at a Memorial Day ceremony.
“The hostile and discriminatory actions by the Veterans Affairs officials in Houston are outrageous, unconstitutional and must stop,” said Jeff Mateer, Esq., general counsel of Liberty Institute. “Government officials who engage in religious discrimination against citizens are breaking the law. Sadly, this seems to be a pattern of behavior at the Houston VA National Cemetery.”
Today, Liberty Institute amended its original lawsuit that states the Department of Veterans Affairs and its Director of the Houston National Cemetery, Arleen Ocasio, are engaging in religious viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, by adding new incidents of religious hostility including:
VA Forbids Mention of God at Funerals for Veterans and Requires Families to Submit Prayer for Approval to the Government: For 30 years, the VFW District 4 burial team, at the request of the family of the deceased, has honored veterans by performing the VFW burial ritual during private burial services at the Houston National Cemetery. For 20 years, The American Legion Post 586 has honored our veterans by performing its burial ritual for fallen veterans. On at least four separate occasions, government officials told the burial teams that prayer and religious speech could no longer be included in the burial ritual unless the family submits a specific prayer or message in writing to Director Ocasio for her approval. Government official Jose Henriquez also told the VFW Honor Guard Commander, Junior Vice Commander and Chaplain that the word “God” is forbidden.
VA instructs the VFW and a Private Funeral Home that they may not present the option of prayer to families: American Heritage Funeral Home, which sits next to the Houston National Cemetery and specializes in veterans’ funerals, was instructed by government officials that the funeral home may not inform the families that they have the option of requesting prayer in the VFW burial ritual.
VA Tells Volunteers to Remove “God Bless” from Condolence Cards to Grieving Families: About a year ago, Director Ocasio instructed the president of the National Memorial Ladies that the words “God” and “Jesus” are forbidden and that “God Bless” could no longer be written in condolence cards to families. Volunteers also were banned from speaking a religious message when talking directly to veterans’ families on cemetery grounds.
VA Closes Cemetery Chapel; Uses it for Storage: The chapel where families used to gather, pray and reflect has been closed and is now called a “meeting facility” and used for storage. The chapel cross and Bible have been removed and the bells that once used to chime are no longer used.
“On March 15, Director Ocasio told me that I couldn’t say ‘May God grant you grace, mercy and peace’ to grieving families,” said Nobleton Jones, Honor Guard Junior Vice Commander. “Today we ask the government to make it right.”
“All we wanted was to give honor to fallen soldiers,” said Inge Conley, incoming VFW District 4 Commander.
Today’s hearing took place before Federal District Judge Lynn N. Hughes who had granted the original temporary restraining order preventing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from censoring Pastor Rainey’s prayer in May. Judge Hughes gave the government until July 15 to respond to the new allegations and set a status hearing for July 21.
Liberty Institute works to uphold First Amendment freedoms in the courts, legislature and public square. Stay up to date on this case at www.libertyinstitute.org.
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