Free Republic

Good mothers usually have good hearts, and are often willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the whole family. They deserve to have a special day to honor them, and “to have them know we appreciate them, though we do not show it as often as w It is hard for many to believe that Mother’s Day could be used politically for messaging to the masses, but it has been used that way since it was originally created. At the time of the official creation of Mother’s Day, the original intent behind it was simply a day to honor...

On or around this day in 1861, Julia Ward Howe is inspired to write the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Did you know that this much-loved patriotic song has its roots in the Civil War years? Julia was the daughter of a Wall Street broker and a poet. She was well-educated and was able to speak fluently in several languages. Like her mother, she loved to write. She also became very interested in the abolitionist and suffragette causes. Samuel Howe was progressive in many ways, but he wasn’t too keen on expanding women’s rights. He thought Julia’s place was in...

One hundred fifty-five years ago, the Atlantic Monthly published on its front cover the lyrics to “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” which not only is one of this nation’s most well-known patriot songs, but also, arguably, its most spiritual. The melody was borrowed from a Civil War marching song, which paid tribute to the abolitionist John Brown, and which was popular with Union soldiers. The song’s lyrics – “poor old John Brown is dead, his body lies mouldering in the grave” – were inoffensive to soldiers marching into battle, but deemed too coarse to be sung by the general...

To FR, from summer: According to one of Cindy's web sites, today, August 18th, Cindy will be delivering a letter to First Lady Laura Bush: On Thursday, August 18, women who have been sitting with Cindy Sheehan at the vigil in Crawford, Texas, will be writing and attempting to hand-deliver letters to Laura Bush. As part of a woman-to-woman, mother-to-mother appeal, Cindy's supporters will ask the First Lady to urge her husband to take time from his vacation to answer the questions of a grieving mother. Cindy's supporters, led by her sister Dede Miller, will then conduct a three-mile march...