none

Tampa Chapter

Sons of the American Revolution

November 2020

 

Contents

          Meeting announcement

          Officer Elections

          Dues are Due

          Revolution History note

          Program Schedule

          Color Guard Activity

SAR and events update          

          Misc. reminders and information

 

Meeting Announcement

It is hoped that everyone is healthy, safe, and coping with the current situation as best as they can.  While the hotel is available, due to concerns of many members we will have a virtual meeting on Saturday, Nov 21 at noon our usual day and time.  President Dave Bryant will send out a zoom link to everyone prior to the 21st so you can log on and participate.  While the October meeting had some problems, the November meeting should go more smoothly.

We have a great virtual speaker lined up to make a presentation on Valley Forge.

            

 

Officer Elections

This meeting will also be our election of officers, which we will do virtually.  All of the current officers have agreed to continue to serve in their present positions; however, nominations and self-nominations are always welcome at the time of the meeting.

 

Dues are Due

Dues for 2021 are coming due.  Dues are $80 as they have been for the past few years.  Of that $35 goes to National, $20 to Florida SAR and $25 stays in Tampa.  Send your

check or money order to Paul Ergler, Treasurer

                                      503 Surrey Lane

                                      Lutz, FL  33549

Paul says he can take PayPal, too, but you will need to contact him for that one at paulergler@hotmail.com. 

 

American Revolution Notes:

A Revolution not Made but Prevented[i]

Was the American Revolution a revolution?  Revolution means radical change. Looking backwards, through the prism of the Bolshevik and the French Revolutions, it is easy to assume that ours was just an earlier example of the same thing…radical change in a society.  Let’s look at that a bit more carefully.

            Excluding slaves, in 1750 the freest people on earth, at least among the civilized nations, lived in the thirteen British colonies in North America. The faraway government in London handled foreign affairs and lightly regulated trade.  This did not intersect with or effect the lives of the ordinary people. The colonial legislatures handled all local government.  Only a few and simple laws were needed: don’t take stuff; don’t hurt each other; and low taxes – just enough to pay the salaries of the Governor, a few government officials and the few clerks who constituted the bureaucracy.

          What we know as the French and Indian War took place between 1754 and 1763.  England emerged from the war deeply in debt and with an empire to govern and garrison.  This led to a change in imperial policy in London.  Debt meant people living in the empire had to shoulder their share of the load.  The changes in imperial policy resulted in much tighter control over trade, increased British regulation of internal affairs in the colonies and the presence of British troops to enforce the new rules and regulations.

          By 1774, British policies, laws passed by Parliament and heavy-handed colonial Governors had radically changed the colonies.  The faraway government of 1750 and limited colonial governments of the period prior to the French and Indian War seemed like a faraway dream.

          In 1774 the colonists did not want radical change, they wanted 1750 back.

They wanted a limited national government that would handle foreign affairs and lightly regulate trade. They wanted state governments that would, as Madison put it in Federalist 45, handle all other matters that “concern the lives, liberties and properties of the people.”

          The American colonists did not make a revolution. They prevented one. Between 1763 and 1774, England brought radical change to the colonies. The Crown and Parliament no longer protected the rights of the American colonists.

By fighting a war for Independence, the American colonist stopped that radical change from taking place and brought back 1750.  The constitution written in 1787 put 1750 on paper.  A limited national government handling foreign affairs and regulating trade with state governments handling everything else.

[1] Russell Kirk, Roots of the American Order p393

 

Program schedule

Since we are unsure when we will actually have our next in person meeting, hopefully in December, there are no program particulars other than at one of our in person meetings, Compatriot Charles Krug will give a presentation on the port.  For your planning purposes, the dates for the next few months are below.

 

Dec 19  Wreaths Across America Ceremony – American Legion Post #5 USS Tampa

Jan  16  Officer Installation

Feb 20  Washington’s Birthday

 

Color Guard Activity

Most opportunities for Color Guard participation are being cancelled due to COVID-19.  While there were some in-person Veterans Day activities around the State, there were none known to be in the Tampa area.  Currently, there are plans to hold the Commemorations of the Last Naval Battle on Merritt Island and the Battle of Thomas Creek in Jacksonville, both in March.  More information will be provided as we get closer to those events. 

 

Some Chapters and State Societies are performing their local commemorations and memorials virtually so members unable to attend in person can still participate.  Those details will be passed on to the Chapter Color Guard as they are made available. 

 

Rosemary Hamblin continues to tell us that the American Legion Post #5 will be holding some form of a Wreaths Across America ceremony on December 19 and our Color Guard has been invited to participate in some way.  COVID-19 cautions will be observed.  We will figure out how we will participate as we get closer to the event.  This Ceremony will be our December meeting.  Mark the date and plan to be there, if possible.

 

 

 

Other important dates

November 19            Abraham Lincoln presents the Gettysburg Address

December 19            Wreaths Across America Ceremony

January 11                Alexander Hamilton’s Birthday

February 22             George Washington’s Birthday

March ??                  Last Naval Battle Commemoration

March ??                  Battle of Thomas Creek Commemoration

April 13                     Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday

April 19                     Battles of Lexington & Concord

 

SAR Events

Various National SAR meetings continue to be held virtually.  At the September National Trustees meeting, the SAR adopted a new logo.  The new image cannot be used yet as they still must complete the process of protecting it through Trademark and Copyright protections.

At the September meeting, the Trustees emphasized the need for all members participating in any SAR related youth activities to complete Youth Protection Training.  This has been emphasized for a few years; however, it is reported that the Trustees are working a transition policy after which it will be a requirement for individual members.  The SAR has developed its own program which is to be (maybe is) posted on the National website.  More to come.

 

The 2021 Congress is scheduled to be held in-person in Renton, Washington (Seattle) on July 8 – 14.  Information is available on the SAR website.  The 2022 Congress will in Savanah, Georgia.  The 2023 Congress will be held in Orlando.  Plans are being made and volunteers will be needed. 

 

Miscellaneous Reminders

The new face book page for the Tampa Sons of the American Revolution is

Tampa Sar. The password to add anything is American1776.  Please feel free to upload pictures or comments. Invite all your friends to take a look.

 

Chapter Website—remember you can find information about the chapter and programs on the chapter website.   http://www.tampasar.org/

 

One of the duties of the Chapter Chaplain is to send cards to our members that are sick. Another is to send a sympathy card to the family of a member who has passed away. If you know of anyone that should be the recipient of these cards please mention it to Chaplain Sessums or one of the other officers at our next meeting.

 

 Chapter officers and committee chairman are encouraged to send any pertinent information they wish included in the newsletter to the editor.