Oath Ceremonies at Appleseed Shoots and Photos and Commentary on Gonzales, Texas Oath Ceremony on April 19, 2009.

The Oath Keepers crew has been recovering from our blitz of activity to get to Lexington on the 19th, and we are now scrambling to catch up with many things, including posting pictures and videos from the Lexington gathering as well as other gatherings around the country- such as the one at Gonzales, the photos for which we now post below (still waiting on videos, and will post when those are online).

Yep, it was not just at Lexington that Americans gathered to pay tribute to the patriots who stood at Lexington on April 19, 1775. And it was not just at Lexington that modern patriots renewed their oaths - or took the oath for the first time - to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. As is fitting for Americans, many fine folks across this land used their own initiative to conduct their own local oath ceremonies wherever they were. Many folks took the oath at home, among family and friends. And many others took the oath as part of an Appleseed shoot. We are still hearing back from folks across the country (and if you have stories and/or photos of your own oath ceremony, please email them to us), but we can at least tell you about the following:

OATH KEEPER CEREMONIES AT APPLESEED SHOOTS!

At many an Appleseed rifle shoot across this land folks took a few minutes out of their time on the range to gather together and conduct an oath ceremony. We Oath Keepers are enthusiastic supporters of the Appleseed Program, where volunteer instructors travel all over America and teach rifle clinics to pass on both the heritage and the skills of a rifleman to all who are willing to show up, for the paltry sum of $80.00 for two days of instruction (and women and all under the age of 20 shoot free!).

Oath Ceremony at Appleseed Shoot in Sacramento California, April 19, 2009

This year, Appleseed conducted special shoots all over the nation on the weekend of April 18 and 19th, to honor the heroes who stood their ground so long a go. And the good folks at Appleseed likewise support Oath Keepers and were more than happy to accommodate any shooters who wanted to conduct an oath ceremony that day. In fact, Oath Keepers crew member (and supreme disciplinarian of the comments) Capt. Gooch helped run the Appleseed shoot in Corpus Christi, Texas, and conducted an oath ceremony there, but was unable to get any pics (everyone was busy taking the oath). However, some folks did manage to get pics, and as we get those in from various Appleseed Shoot oath ceremonies, we will post them. Above is a photo of the oath ceremony at the Sacramento, California Appleseed shoot.

GONZALES TEXAS: COME AND TAKE IT!

And there was also a gathering of patriots in Gonzales, Texas. The October 2, 1835 Battle of Gonzales is known as the "Lexington of Texas" where Texans resisted an attempt by troops of Santa Anna to seize their cannon. And so these modern Texans spent Sunday, April 19, 2009 together in honor of the men who came before them, both at Lexington and at Gonzales, and conducted their own oath ceremony.

The Battle Flag of Gonzales Texas, Commemorating the Defiance of the Texans in 1835. ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ! Texas style!

This is precisely the kind of grass-roots initiative and patriotism that will drive this movement forward and fulfill our mission of spreading the Oath Keeper message. We salute the patriot Oath Keepers of Gonzales, and wish them Godspeed in all their future endeavors to spread the word in the fine state of Texas.

Below is the report on the Gonzales gathering by the man who organized and lead that effort, Jesse (aka YeOldFurt). We were waiting to post the pics when we also had the video, but we'll go ahead and repost YeOldFurt's post about the event, and just as soon as the video is up online, we will post it as well. Also, we will post Jesse's personal testimonial about his oath. - Stewart Rhodes

Gonzales Gathering -- After Action Report

(by YeOldFurt)

The day was almost totally cloudless with a slight breeze:
Once everyone arrived we spent a few minutes getting acquainted and passing out copies of pamphlets containing the Declaration, Constitution and Amendments (Bill of Rights) as well as copies of the Petition:
Then we moved over to some covered bleachers and I quit worrying about not having a bullhorn.
We started out with a benediction led by HermitJim
And then moved on to the Pledge of Allegiance led by my Sister-in-Law, Michelle Rudis
Next I gave a summary of the events that occurred on Lexington Green on April 19th, 1775 and events surrounding it as well as a summary of events of what occurred in Gonzales Texas on October 2, 1835.
Then "Oath Keeper" read off the "Orders We Will Not Obey" from the Oath Keepers website.Then Mayberry read the Declaration of Independence.
Mark then read the Constitution, parts of which surprised some of us as we all weren't real steeped in it. There was some discussion about it because of that.Then Cygnus read the Bill of Rights (First 10 Amendments). Again causing a bit of discussion.After that, I gave a little talk about the responsibilities of the Oath.
We then took the Oath to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic."
(At this point, even our camera man took the Oath)
Then Mayberry gave his speech (I wish he'd put it up on his site -- hint - hint).
Finally we closed with a prayer given by HermitJim.
(Again, no picture because of circumstances).

It was a down to earth moving experience and a BIG THANKS to everyone.
In the coming days, I hope everyone keeps their head down and stay off the ridgelines.
YeOldFurt

OATH KEEPERS INSIGNIA/PATCH DESIGN! Give Us Your Thoughts!

Above is the proposed Oath Keepers insignia/patch design as worked up by the exceptional insignia artist Paul Jacobsen, of Tactical Graphic Design, who has so graciously stepped up an VOLUNTEERED his service in helping us design our insignia. Paul is an Oath Keeper and a man of deep commitment to liberty. We will be posting his own testimonial shortly.

Read our below description of what and why, and then please give us your thoughts and constructive criticism. We have put a great deal of thought into this, but nothing is set in stone and we want to hear your thoughts.

ABOUT THE TAB:

Note, the insignia/patch will only have one "Oath Keeper" tab above the main patch (just as you would wear an Airborne, Ranger, or SF tab), but Paul has included a slightly different tab design down below the patch for you to compare the two different tab styles.

We wanted to have an Oath Keeper tab as part of our insignia so anyone could easily add an "Oath Keeper" tab to whatever other insignia or "colors" are used, just like soldiers add a "Ranger" or "Airborne" tab to their uniforms above their normal unit patch. Just imagine giving current serving troops Oath Keeper tabs all set with velcro on the back, ready to just slap on. Won't that be fun? And you can add one to your jackets, uniforms, or any other gear.

And we think it best to keep it singular, since it is a personal declaration to all the world that the one wearing that tab is an Oath Keeper.

I (Stewart) am partial to the darker tab, but let us know what you think.

ABOUT THE MAIN BODY OF THE INSIGNIA/PATCH:

CVSTODES REI PVBLICAE

That is Latin for "Guardians of the Republic" and in formal Latin, a "V" is used in place of a "U." We had this checked out with several Latin scholars, including professors, so we are certain it is accurate. That is what we Oath Keepers are - guardians of the Republic of the Founders.

English version of "Guardians of the Republic"

UPDATE:

After several requests for a version with "Guardians of the Republic" in plain English, we have posted the above version for you consideration. And, with the bold tab.

UPDATE II:

And here we are with the contoured tab (meant to match up closely with the patch) and with the more traditional "Ranger" style tab. A more traditional shaped tab is handy since personnel can just slap it in place right along with other tabs and insignia (or in place of another tab they usually wear) and it is more "official" looking.

So, we could go with the more traditional shaped tab, and scrap the contoured tab, or go with the contoured tab, but with the traditional tab as an option (so you could order either one, or both).

What do you guys think? We will most certainly offer the traditional shaped "Ranger" style tab no matter what, since it is such a great idea to give troops something that fits right in with their other tabs and insignia (and we expect that many will buy just the tab, or get it as a gift). So, the only real question is whether we want to also use the contoured tab.

A STATE DESIGNATION LOWER ROCKER/TAB? (or other lower rocker)

One member had the idea of having a lower rocker (curving upward?) for an optional state designation. I (Stewart) think that would be pretty neat, frankly, as an option for those who want it. Or, you could have other kinds of lower rocker tabs, whether for a particular group, service branch, specialty, leadership position, etc - you name it. It could be a personal choice to put one on with whatever additional designation you wanted. Up to you!

Let us know what you think.



THE LEXINGTON MINUTEMAN

We decided to go with the Lexington Minute Man statue rather than the more commonly used Concord memorial minuteman (as used on the National Guard insignia, and by Appleseed and others). We did this for several reasons:

1. We Oath Keepers will be mustering, gathering for the very first time, on Lexington Green, Mass., on April 19, 2009, and since that will be our first public gathering, and since we will be reading aloud or declaration of orders we will not obey, and publicly reaffirming our oaths right there on Lexington Green, it seems fitting to honor that occasion by having our patch reflect the Lexington statue, which was modeled after Captain Parker.

2. Lexington is the site of the first shots of the Revolution, where the militia first stood in defiance of orders to disarm, and where they first suffered casualties and first fired back.

3. We would like our insignia to be a bit different than others.

4. The minuteman, of whichever statue, is a symbol of the American spirit, of defiance to tyranny, and the ideal of the citizen soldier. And by evoking the minutemen who stood so long ago, we connect with the Founding Generation and with all the brave men and women who have stood in the breach since. Now it is our turn to stand, following their footsteps, filling their shoes, taking our place in the long line of guardians of the Republic. We will stand at Lexington, where they stood, and we will commit ourselves to preserving what they fought, bled, and died for. We cannot think of a more fitting symbol.

The "10"

The "10" stands for our Declaration of Ten Orders We Will NOT Obey and a forthcoming declaration of Ten Affirmations of What We Defend. Our publication of that declaration of ten orders we will not obey was our first public shot across the bow - the first throwing down of the gauntlet - and we will do that again, in person, on Lexington Green on April 19, when we read that declaration aloud, and pledge to each other our lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. It will be a very public throwning down of the gauntlet, to let "them" know it aint' going to go down like "they" think it is.

NOT ON OUR WATCH.

That is our motto. We usually add in an exclamation point, as in "Not on Our Watch!' but you tell us what you prefer.

We will likely fly this insignia/patch at Lexington, and that is what will likely be on any T-shirts we make up to commemorate the occasion (with the summary of the ten orders on the back).

But please, please do give us your thoughts on any desired changes or ideas for improvement.

We want this insignia/patch to be something you are proud to wear, and proud to fly, and proud to passs on to your sons and daughters.

COLORS:

We are wide open to suggestions for colors on the full color insignia. So, please let us know what you think would be best. Eventually, we will have both full color and subdued versions for BDU/ACU, etc.

For April 19, we will probably just be flying black and white, and subdued BDU/ACU if anyone can work up tabs or patches that fast.

IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO CAN WORK UP TABS AND PATCHES IN TIME FOR APRIL 19, PLEASE CONTACT US ASAP AT oathkeepersok@gmail.com

It would be wonderful to have tabs and even patches for the Lexington muster!

OATH KEEPERS WILL MUSTER ON THE LEXINGTON GREEN, APRIL 19th, 2009 TO RENEW OUR OATHS TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION! JOIN US!

"Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon. But, if they want to have a war, let it begin here." Capt. John Parker, Lexington Company of the Middlesex County Brigade, Massachusetts Militia, April 19, 1775.

Special Announcement! Oath Keepers will muster on the Lexington Green, Lexington Massachusetts, this coming Sunday, April 19th, 2009, from 12 noon to 3 pm.

Oath Keepers has just been invited to participate in a special free rally on the Lexington Green this April 19, sponsored by Committees of Safety (founded by Walter Reddy and with Dr. Edwin Vieira as Honorary Chairman).

Committees of Safety has invited Oath Keepers' founder Stewart Rhodes to be one of four speakers at the event, and we are in turn inviting all of YOU to join us on the Lexington Green to celebrate "The shot heard around the world"- April 19, 1775, where the first fighting in the Revolutionary War occurred.

Other speakers will be Dr. Edwin Vieira - scholar on the history of the events leading up to the Revolution and also on the historic militia; Walter Reddy - Founder, Committees of Safety; and
Garrett Lear - The Patriot Pastor - who was born in Lexington, and who's ancestor stood at Lexington Green on April 19, 1775 and faced off British troops.

SPECIAL OATH REAFFIRMING AND SWEARING IN CEREMONY ON LEXINGTON GREEN.

On that day, on Lexington Green, on April 19, we Oath Keepers will read aloud our Declaration of Ten Orders We Will NOT Obey and will then reaffirm our oaths to defend the Constitution.

And, for those of you who have never taken the oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, here is your chance to do it on a special day, in a special place, on hallowed ground, in honor of the embattled farmers - Oath Keepers all - who stood and fought at Lexington and Concord on that day so long ago and then beat the hell out of the Regulars all the way back to Boston, along "Battle Road."

We can't imagine a more soul stirring experience than to stand in ranks, right there where those heroes stood, and mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor in defense of the liberty those men won for us and in defense of the Constitution.

Join us! Veterans, active duty, police, fire fighters, and dedicated patriots. We realize this is short notice, but if you can get there, please do join us for what will most assuredly be an electrifying experience you will never forget.

The official event will run from 12 noon to 3 pm, on Sunday, April 19 but Stewart Rhodes, Dave Freeman, Jim Ayala, and others within the national Oath Keepers organization will be there from Friday evening, all weekend, and part of Monday and you can expect that we will make full use of our time together in fellowship with our brothers in arms, whether it be in quiet contemplation on the Green or at Concord Bridge, walking along Battle Road, touring historic sights in Boston, or over some pints of Ale at a local historic tavern.

All are welcome. We would be honored to meet you and spend time with you.

SPECIAL FILMING OF THE EVENTS, OF OATH KEEPERS READING OF OUR DECLARATION, AND FILMING OF YOUR OATHS AND TESTIMONIALS.

We will bring several cameras and film crews and will be filming the entire ceremony, and will also be filming those Oath Keepers who are willing to take part in an outreach film project we are working on. Part of that project will include individual active duty, veterans, police, fire fighters, etc. reading off parts of the Declaration of Ten Orders We Will Not Obey and also reading off parts of the oath to defend the Constitution. All of that material will be compiled into a ten minute montage of all who participate, reading the Declaration and Oath, with each of you on film reading a few words or sentences each.

And we will also be filming the full, individual testimonials of those who are willing to give their own personal testimonials on video.

And all of those films will be used as part of our outreach efforts to active duty military, police, veterans, etc. and will be put online on Youtube, on the new, upcoming Oathkeepers.org website, and elsewhere on the web.

Oath Keepers ... Guardians of The Republic .... Honor Your Oaths .... Join Us on Lexington Green.

Here is the announcement from the Committees of Safety Website:

When: Sunday, April 19, 2009 *Celebrate "The shot heard around the world"- April 19, 1775

Time: Noon - 3pm ( Rain or Shine )

Where: Massachusetts Ave. @ Bedford St.

Lexington, Massachusetts


Speakers: Dr. Edwin Vieira -Author / Attorney in Constitutional Law / Scholar - Colonial legal history

Walter Reddy - Founder, Committees of Safety

Son of the American Revolution

Garrett Lear - The Patriot Pastor

Born in Lexington - Ancestor stood at Lexington Green on April 19, 1775 and faced off British troops

and [Stewart Rhodes, of Oath Keepers!]

PLEASE SEND US AN EMAIL IF YOU WILL BE THERE! You are not required to RSVP, but it would be great to have a rough head-count, so if you will be there, drop us an email at oathkeepersok@gmail.com

NOTE: If you cannot join us, then do the next best thing and get you and your family to one of the special Appleseed Rifle shoots that will be held over the weekend of April 18 and 19, 2009, for a dose of marksmanship and heritage. Stewart Rhodes wrote a feature article on the Appleseed Program for S.WA.T. Magazine. You can read that article here. Appleseed is a great program, made up of volunteers, and is endorsed and highly recommended by Oath Keepers.