Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

Saturday, December 7th marks the 83rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii by the Imperial Japanese Navy. At this point in our lives, as ‘mature’ Americans, we know our history about this ‘day of infamy.’ But all too easily we become wrapped up in our busy lives, or numb to the old stories, and the day slips by unremembered.

But we should remind ourselves of the events and people of the past. Without pausing to remember, we fall into the trap of losing the history and values that make us Americans. Remembrances and re-telling of the old stories bind us together and pay honor and respect due to the people of the past.

It was a Sunday morning in Hawaii when the Japanese stuck. It was a Sunday morning very much like we might enjoy today. Some folks were off at church. Some were enjoying the morning catching up on news over a cup of coffee. Here and there groups of children were playing. Some folks were working in the quiet of the morning. Some were sleeping off the excesses of Saturday evening festivities.

It was probably a beautiful sunny morning.

And world events intruded on the peace.

There are thousands of stories from that day: a Navy lieutenant commander quietly enjoying his breakfast aboard the USS Arizona who rushed into action; two Army Air Corps pilots who went from peaceful slumber to jumping into their P-40 Mustangs within moments; an 18-year-old civilian pipe fitter working in the shipyard who helped to rescue survivors in the waters of the harbor; an eight-year-old girl running for safety, so close to a Japanese attack plane that she could see the pilot’s face; an Army nurse working an orthopedic ward, all alone, quickly became overrun with burn victims.

Pause, reflect, and honor the sacrifice of lives lost and the hard work and bravery of survivors.

Learn More:

AMAC Members Play Key Role in Stopping NY Gov. Hochul’s State Takeover of Long Island Schools

Just before Thanksgiving, AMAC Members played a critical role in stopping an effective state takeover of Long Island schools initiated by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

Over the course of just two days on November 25 and 26, more than 900 AMAC members sent messages to Governor Hochul opposing her mandatory “emergency regionalization order.” This order would have stripped local school districts and parents of their control over their children’s education and placed all schools under the jurisdiction of a “regional superintendent” appointed and controlled by Governor Hochul. Teachers, administrators, and local superintendents, instead of answering to parents, would have been forced to answer to regional superintendents who also would have had the final say over curriculum and other school policies.

On November 27, following this immense outpouring of opposition from AMAC members, Governor Hochul reversed the mandatory element of her regionalization order, making district enrollment in the program optional. In her statement announcing the decision, Governor Hochul echoed the concerns of AMAC members, noting the importance of “local control” and “families making decisions about schools.”

“This is a significant victory for New York’s parents and children,” said AMAC CEO Rebecca Weber. “Local community involvement in our schools is critical to the successful education of our children. I’m so grateful for the role AMAC’s New York members played in stopping this egregious intrusion by the Governor and appreciate her listening to the will of the people.”

AMAC Members once again showed that when they make their voices heard, elected officials, no matter their political party, listen.

Action ☆ Academy 

The Dark Art of Framing

Jeff Myers, President of Summit Ministries, provides important information about the way the Left influences narratives through words and emotions in the 5-minute video The Dark Art of Framing. “If you understand how framing works, you’ll have a better chance of seeing through weak arguments and appreciating good ones.” PragerU is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes American values in short educational videos for people of all ages.

Term of the Week: Fourth Amendment

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” ― Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution

The Fourth Amendment protects us from unreasonable search and seizures of our person, our house, our papers, and our effects. In many cases, this amendment governs our interactions with the police. Before the government—including police officers—can search your home or seize your property, it needs a good reason. This is the big idea behind the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement. The government needs particularized suspicion—a reason that’s specific to each suspect—before it can get a warrant. Broadly speaking, our Constitution says that the police should only be able to invade a person’s rights to privacy, property, or liberty if they have a specific reason to think that the suspect has done something wrong.

(“Module 11: The Fourth Amendment.” National Constitution Center, constitutioncenter.org/education/constitution-101-curriculum/11-the-fourth-amendment. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.)

Class for November and December

Economics 101: The Principles of Free Market Economics

Economics is ultimately about making choices. Learn about economics and how the American Founders believed that economic freedom and property rights are rooted in the natural competition and cooperation of human beings. They believed that the best economic system should consist of private property and be allowed to operate freely. Learn more in Hillsdale College’s free online course Economics 101: The Principles of Free Market Economics. This 10-session course includes lessons on supply and demand, the “information problem” behind the failure of central planning, the rise of macroeconomics under the influence of John Maynard Keynes, and the 2008 financial crisis.

Quote of the Week

“We need to clean house of woke generals. Currently the Department of Defense has forty-four four-star generals with a total force of 1.2 million serving. In World War II, there were only seven four-star generals and over 21 million were serving. It’s upside down, and ripe for firings—without replacements.”

― Pete Hegseth, The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free

Fight to save the America we love! If you’d like to become a volunteer AMAC Action Delegate, please contact us at (855) 809-6976 or [email protected].