UPDATE/STATUS/PLANS - WTC Flag Raising Petition

This is an update report to those who have signed, or who are contemplating signing, the:

It is also to those who have otherwise supported that effort in any way. The purpose is to give a status and let you know plans for the petition.

First, let me thank those who have signed or supported this effort to insure that an accurate memorial is erected to the victims and heroes of 9-11, instead of anything based on a political agenda. The activism of thousands i showing just what people can accomplish if they take a mind to.

This issue has struck a nerve in tens of thousands of people all across this nation. That number is growing to hundreds of thoiusands, and I am sure if people were aware of it, it would grow to millions. Revisionism and political correctness are not going to be tolerated with respect to 9-11. They should never be tolerated and perhaps this issue and this effort will start the ball rolling that way.

Specifically, the effort is paying off and together with the firefighters themselves and the many thousands of others who have protested, it has resulted in New York City scrapping plans for an altered flag raising statue. Ultimate plans have not yet been announced, and so there is still a chance that they will propose some other politically driven memorial which alters the history of what happened that day. Therefore according to the 2nd point in the petition, which indicates that only a historically accurate memorial should be erected, the petition is continuing. It will do so until final plans are announced for a historically accurate memorial not based on any political agenda.

In that regard, I am also writing to let you know the current plans for the petition and its signatures.

It is my intent intent to have the first 100,000 signatures delivered directly to the City of New York and the New York City Fire Department as soon as possible. I intend to give two copies of professionally bound signatures (which will amount to ten volumes of five hundred pages of signatures each) to firefighters there in New York City who can in turn present them to the Fire Department and to the Mayor and/or his representatives. I would hope to attract media attention to that event, but intend to do it with or without the media. I would then repeat this process at the 250,000, the 500,000 and the one million signature marks if the petition goes that far, which I hope it does.

I believe that stacks of bound signatures from all over the country piled on politicians' and planners' desks will help insure that we hold those same politicians' and planners' feet to the fire. It will help insure than no more political nonsense and revisionism is applied to any ememorial dedicated to any event of that tragic day, 9-11. Tragedy that turned to heroism that generated patriotism and unity across this entire nation.

The effort required to make this happen will not be incosequential. Electronically extracting the 100,000 names, formatting them, professionally printing them, copying them, professionally binding them and then delivering them to New York City will take considerable effort and expense. Anyone who is interested in the details of that effort and who agrees with the importance of it, and would like to help, please contact me at the following email address and I will send you the details regarding how you can help.

Any excess funds that result from this effort will be donated proportionally to the IAFF New York Fire Fighters 911 Disaster Relief Fund, the Port Authority Police WTC Disaster Survivors Fund, and to NYPD and EMS worker funds established directly by those associations for the support of families of personnel killed or injured on 9-11.

Thank you for your time, and again, either way, thank you for your support in this effort to insure that we depict accurately what occurred on 9-11. It must remain accurate so that we can always remember and never forget those who died or were injured ... and so that we can therefore maintain our national sovereignty and liberty against those who would destroy them.

Marines Don't Do That

The words of a distinguished former Commandant of the Marine Corps serve as a reminder that the Marines are set apart from other organizations not only by what they do, but by what they don't do.

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS WASHINGTON, D.C. 20380

From: Commandant of the Marine Corps To: All General Officers and All Commanding Officers – Active and Reserve Subj: Marines Don't Do That

1. Early this month I received the following note from a distinguished friend:

General Chapman:

"Recently I was in an air terminal......(Most people there presented a pretty sloppy appearance) – coats unbuttoned, ties loosened, etc. There was a Marine Corporal (in uniform) who was just the opposite. I spoke to the Marine and pointed out the difference to him. I asked him why it was so? His answer was: 'The Marines don't do that.'"

"Regards,"

2. "The Marines don't do that." A simple statement of fact which leaves no question in the mind of the listener.

3. Marines don't – wear a scruffy uniform.

Marines don't – slouch around with their hands in their pockets.

Marines don't – wear long hair.

Marines don't – fail to respond with a "Yes, or No, Sir" when speaking with a senior.

Marines don't – render a half-hearted or sloppy salute to the Stars and Stripes or to their seniors.

Marines don't – gang up on each other.

Marines don't – question lawful orders.

Marines don't – lie or cheat or break their word.

Marines don't – abandon a fellow Marine in time of need.

Marines don't – let down their fellow Marines by succumbing to drug temptation.

Marines don't – meet problems with "It can't be done" or questions with the easy answer "No."

Marines don't – knock the system without recommending appropriate change.

Marines don't – (the list is all but endless).

4. Marines don't do that. But why not? Because they are a breed apart. They are not the run of the mill; they are but a few good men. They are proud members of an elite Corps. They are as well trained as—if not better than—any military outfit, anywhere. They have led the way, in war and peace, for 196 years. And they know that today they are ready—combat ready—to move out, any time, with the Navy, go anywhere, take on anybody, fight and win.

We must keep our balance, raise our quality, maintain our standards, and be ready to serve our Country. Marines do that!

/s/ L. F. Chapman, Jr.

Commandant

Copy to:

Retired General Officers, Regular and Reserve

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