A number of interesting military and pro-freedom things happened on the 10th of January; some good, some not so. We need to know our nation’s history and stand up for our Constitution.
On January 10th, 1776 – Thomas Paine published his pamphlet “Common Sense,” setting forth the arguments for American independence. Although little used today, pamphlets were an important medium for the spread of ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries. Paine was born in England in 1737 and worked as a corset-maker in his teens. He also worked as a sailor and schoolteacher before becoming a prominent pamphleteer. In 1774, Paine arrived in Philadelphia and came to support American independence. His 47-page pamphlet sold some 500,000 copies and had a powerful influence on American opinion. Paine served in the US Army and worked for the Committee of Foreign Affairs before returning to Europe in 1787. Back in England, he continued writing pamphlets in support of revolution. He released The Rights of Man, supporting the French revolution in 1791-2, in answer to Edmund Burke’s famous Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790). His sentiments were highly unpopular with the British government, so he fled to France but was later arrested for his political opinions. He returned to the United States in 1802 and died in New York in 1809.
On January 10th, 1779 – The French presented John Paul Jones with a dilapidated vessel, the Duc de Duras. This Jones refits, mounts with 42 guns and renames Bonhomme Richard in honor of Benjamin Franklin. On 19 June 1779, Bonhomme Richard sailed from L’Orient accompanied by Alliance, Pallas, Vengeance, and Cerf with troop transports and merchant vessels under convoy to Bordeaux and to cruise against the British in the Bay of Biscay. Forced to return to port for repair, the squadron sailed again 14 August 1779. Going northwest around the west coast of the British Isles into the North Sea and then down the east coast the squadron took 16 merchant vessels as prizes. On 23 September 1779 they encountered the Baltic Fleet of 41 sail under convoy of HMS Serapis (44) and Countess of Scarborough (22) near Flamborough Head. After 1800 Bonhomme Richard engaged Serapis and a bitter engagement ensued during the next four hours before Serapis struck her colors. Bonhomme Richard, shattered, on fire, and leaking badly defied all efforts to save her and sank at 1100 on 25 September 1779. John Paul Jones sailed the captured Serapis to Holland for repairs.
On January 10th, 1916 – In an attempt to embroil the US in turmoil with Mexico, Francisco “Pancho” Villa and his troupe of bandits stopped a train at Santa Ysabel. The bandits removed a group of 18 Texas business men (mining engineers) invited by the Mexican government to reopen the Cusihuiriachic mines below Chihuahua City and executed them in cold blood. However, one of those shot feigned death and rolled down the side of the embankment and, crawling away into a patch of brown mesquite bushes, escaped. The train moved on, leaving the corpses at the mercy of the slayers, who stripped and mutilated them. After the escapee arrived back at Chihuahua City, a special train sped to Santa Ysabel to reclaim the bodies. When the people of El Paso heard of the massacre, they went wild with anger. El Paso was immediately placed under martial law to prevent irate Texans from crossing into Mexico at Juarez to wreak vengeance on innocent Mexicans. Despite outrage in the US over the Santa Ysabel massacre, President Wilson refused to intervene and send troops into Mexico. Two months later, Villa would decide to strike again.
And, as of January 10th, 2022, the Defense Department has not granted one single exemption from taking the Covid-19 shot for religious reasons. Not one. This is clear anti-religion, anti-First Amendment bias.
A federal judge has granted over 30 Navy special operators the service’s first religious exemptions for the Covid-19 vaccine by granting a temporary reprieve from the military’s vaccine mandate. This action comes as the Defense Department has continued enforcing its mandatory vaccine requirement, discharging hundreds of service members who haven’t complied.
The ruling by US District Judge O’Connor found that, “the COVID-19 pandemic provides the government no license to abrogate” the freedoms of any American, in this instance those freedoms being the right to refuse the vaccine on religious grounds.
The Pentagon has not yet acknowledged this court ruling.
