CHASING AMERICAN LEGENDS

Ep11 Teaser

Episode 11 – Passing the Torch of Freedom

 

 

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Passing the Torch of Freedom

Our busiest, and also most inspiring time of the year happens each summer when we travel from Capitol to Capitol across America training young leaders during Patriot Academy. This year was extra special because it was Kamryn’s first time to join her older brothers in participating as a student legislator. She was so nervous when it was time to present her bill in committee that I thought she was actually going to pass out… or punch me for pushing her to do it. I wasn’t sure which might happen! Thankfully, Trey and Reagan came along and encouraged her and coached her and convinced her to go through with it. Then once she got to the podium and started speaking into the mic, she pushed past the fear and did an amazing job. I was so proud of her! While this episode zeroes in on Kamryn’s personal experience, we hope everyone watching will be inspired by the hundreds of young people you will see passionately articulating the principles upon which the nation was built and showing the way to restore them.

—Rick Green

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Patriot Academy
Founded in 2003 by Rick and Kara (with huge help from David & Cheryl Barton!), Patriot Academy has become the premier leadership academy in the nation for students who desire to find their life purpose, discover the political process, and learn leadership skills that will help them in all walks of life. Patriot Academy has grown and expanded to state capitols across the nation and hundreds of students graduate from the program each and every year. These students go on to become politically active, start businesses, make movies, practice law, pursue the missionary field, and pursue many other areas of life. One of the beautiful things about Patriot Academy is that the skills learned by the students can be applied to all areas of life. We believe that Christians should be salt and light in all areas of the culture, and that we should not hide the gospel or truth from any area of our society.

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Patriot Academy gives students between the ages of 16-25 the chance to be around likeminded individuals, who are passionate and desire to make a difference in the world around them. Throughout the week, the students participate in an extremely realistic simulated legislative session, while also participating in courses designed to help them find what they are here on earth to do, and what area of the culture they can help effectively change for good. They are trained by Rick and other communication experts in everything from how to gain rapport with someone in a business meeting to how to conquer their fear of public speaking. Former and current legislators help coach them on public policy, philosophy, and theology while helping the students discover and put into practice the Timeless Principles of Liberty. Most importantly, the students are taught the importance of character, morals, and integrity.

Kamryn’s Journey during Patriot Academy
Our entire family looks forward to Patriot Academy each and every year. It is a chance for each of us to grow, work on

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our skills, and serve other students throughout the week. This year at Patriot Academy was interesting, as Kamryn was finally able to join Trey and Reagan as a student in the program. Every student at Patriot Academy has to bring a piece of legislation that they write themselves. She was nervous, but she fought through it like a champ (thanks to a lot of family encouragement!) and successfully passed her bill out of committee! She fearlessly jumped into the process and made the family proud.

Ceremonial Passing of the Torch
The Banquet at the end of Patriot Academy is a powerful experience for students, parents, and guests. After spending a week going through intense leadership training, the students get the chance to receive a personal charge from American war veterans. While they physically pass the torch of freedom to the students in the form of a medal, these veterans look the students in the eye

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and charge them with the task of protecting freedom on their watch. The entire process is extremely moving, with very few dry eyes by the end of the evening.

This particular year, our guest speaker was WWII Marine Edgar Harrell. As a survivor of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis by a Japanese submarine, Edgar Harrell was able to remind the students of the sacrifice given by previous generations. He then charged the students with making sure to live out their freedom and never let it go to waste.

Torch of Freedom
Edgar Harrell’s words perfectly set up our ceremony at the end of Patriot Academy. In order to visually paint a picture of how quickly freedom and liberty can spread, we have a ceremony where the students actually light their torch, take it throughout the crowd, and spread it to each group. It helps show the students

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that they are now equipped and trained to go into the real world and spread freedom across their community.

The Torch of Freedom represents the Timeless Principles of Liberty that work every time they are applied. It represents freedom and liberty even in the face of tyranny. It represents the sacrifices of good men and women so that future generations can be free to live their lives in peace and safety. It is not a self-sustaining flame. It must be stoked and guarded, purposefully and intentionally passed from generation to generation. It must be shielded when evil tries to snuff it out and it must be stoked when the people forget what it takes to have these Blessings of Liberty.

The question is, will there be enough Patriots left to keep the flame alive?

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There has always been a remnant of heroes willing to sacrifice their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to protect the Torch of Freedom. They did not always get credit or recognition, but they always stepped up to the plate when duty called.

The Torch of Freedom is under attack daily in our modern society. Freedom and responsibility is constantly being thrust to the side in favor of entitlement and control. Where will you be when the Torch of Freedom is under attack? When darkness and evil are trying their best to put the flame out, how will you respond? It is our hope and prayer that you will join us in the fight to protect freedom. That you will join us; we few, we happy warriors, we Patriots.

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Rick’s Final Thoughts:

Edgar Harrell’s speech was such an amazing inspiration to the Green family and to all the Patriot Academy students and parents. I had the privilege of interviewing Mr. Harrell for WallBuilders Live!, the daily radio show David Barton and I do. Mr. Harrell was already in his 90’s at the time of the interview, yet so passionate and articulate that I had to ask, “Do you ever do speaking engagements?” Mr. Harrell said, “About 30 a year, send me an email and we’ll see what we can do!” Three months later, Mr. Harrell was with us at Patriot Academy. You can get his inspiring true story through his book, Out of the Depths.

—Rick Green

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Special Mention: USS Indianapolis
The world’s first operational atomic bomb was delivered by the Indianapolis, to the island of Tinian on 26 July 1945. The Indianapolis then reported to CINCPAC (Commander-In- Chief, Pacific) Headquarters at Guam for further orders. She was directed to join the battleship USS Idaho at Leyte Gulf in the Philippines to prepare for the invasion of Japan. The Indianapolis, unescorted, departed Guam on a course of 262 degrees making about 17 knots.

At 14 minutes past midnight, on 30 July 1945, midway between Guam and Leyte Gulf, she was hit by two torpedoes out of six fired by the I-58, a Japanese submarine. The first blew away the bow, the second struck near midship on the starboard side adjacent to a fuel tank and a powder magazine. The resulting explosion split the ship to the keel, knocking out all electric power. Within minutes she went down rapidly
by the bow, rolling to starboard.

Of the 1,196 aboard, about 900 made it into the water in the twelve minutes before she sank. Few life rafts were released. Most survivors wore the standard kapok life jacket. Shark attacks began with sunrise of the first day and continued until the men were physically removed from the water, almost five days later.

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Of the 900 who made it into the water, only 317 remained alive. After almost five days of constant shark attacks, starvation, terrible thirst, suffering from exposure and their wounds, the men of the Indianapolis were at last rescued from the sea.

“The Story” www.ussindianapolis.org. Retrieved from http://www.ussindianapolis.org/story.htm.

Essay Questions

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