Rush Revere and the Star-Spangled Banner

by Rush Limbaugh

  “Pee-yew, I hate smoking and I especially hate smoking inside,” Elizabeth said, holding her nose. “How stupid are these people? They should be arrested and taken to jail for being so gross.”

  “Actually, they have the right to say whatever they want as Americans,” Cam said. “Ever heard of George Mason and the Bill of Rights, Elizabeth? Freedom of speech is one of the big ones. They have a right in this country to speak their minds, even if kinda dumb.”

  “Very close Cam,” I said. “The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution stops the government from passing laws that prevent you from speaking your mind.”

  “Whatever,” Elizabeth said, putting a hand on her hip. “This is exactly why I like King George. He would never put up with this stupidity. He would send them all to the Tower of London. I bet they would enjoy their smoking there.”

  “You certainly have a right to your opinion, Elizabeth. That, too, is guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. Now for a quick review,” I said. “Congress passes a no-smoking law. Remember that is the legislative branch. The Supreme Court says the law is okay under the Constitution. That is the judicial branch. The president then makes sure the law is carried out and no one smokes in buildings. That is the executive branch.”

  “That is exactly what James Madison talked about,” Tommy said.

  “Right, but there is another group you need to know about. That is the people themselves—us. We can vote for new representatives in Congress, and we can protest in the streets. In that way we protect our own freedoms.”

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “I still think we should lock them up and throw away the key. And then we can burn those hideous-looking T-shirts.”

  “When do we eat the Oval Office?” Liberty said groggily.

  “Liberty, wake up,” I said, nudging harder.

  Liberty jerked awake.

  “Hey we forgot about the mission objective,” Tommy said.

  Cam added, “Yeah, how are we going to find the address? I don’t see a number or sign or anything.”

  Freedom did not say anything but was walking toward the perimeter gate in front of the White House.

  “I already looked there, Freedom. There is no address!” Tommy yelled, but she did not turn around.

  Once she got to the gate I saw her approach a policeman. Beside him was a police dog who looked up at her. We all quickly walked over toward them, with the exception of Liberty, who was momentarily distracted by an ice cream cart in the distance.

  “Sir, could I ask you a question?” Freedom said politely to the police officer.

  “Of course, young lady, go ahead,” the officer replied.

  “What address is this? I mean what address is the White House?” she asked.

  The policeman smiled at us and said, “Oh good question. I will give you a hint. Divide 3,200 by two and add the name of the state where Philadelphia is located, then add ‘Avenue’ to the end of it. That is your answer.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Freedom said, looking a little confused, and pulled out her sketchpad and pencil. She did some quick math, and caught up with Tommy, who was already heading back toward Liberty. Cam followed right behind.

  Freedom’s grandfather and I made our way back as quickly as we could, to see the Crew surrounding Liberty.

  “Sixteen Hundred Pennsylvania Avenue!” Cam and Tommy shouted, before Freedom had a chance to say anything. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head.

  Liberty looked at both boys and then at Freedom. I thought it was unfair that she found the answer and the boys outran her back to Liberty.

  “Well, Cam and Tommy, you have succeeded in your mission,” Liberty said with great drama. Cam and Tommy high-fived each other while Freedom looked at her grandfather. He gave her a look back as if to say, “It’s okay.”

  Liberty continued. “And Cam and Tommy tied in being first to deliver their answer. So, that would mean that you and Tommy are tied for first place . . .” Tommy and Cam smiled. “But . . .” Liberty said taking a long pause. “But, the winner of the mission and our new Super Scout is . . . FREEDOM!”

  The boys looked at her dumbfounded, as she smiled sweetly in their direction. Freedom’s grandfather and I looked at each other, confused.

  “Wait, what happened?” Cam asked, “She didn’t say anything.”

  “No she didn’t,” said Liberty, “but she did text ‘1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, home of the president to be exact.’ And I received it thirty seconds before you shouted it.”

  Freedom took a little bow as we all clapped.

  “Girl power!” Freedom said. “I wish Maddie was here to celebrate with.”

  “Well done, Freedom,” both boys said, as we presented her with the Super Scout badge.

  “Congratulations!” I exclaimed. “The top-secret prize that Liberty mentioned earlier is a souvenir from any Washington, D.C., shop . . . within a budget of course.”

  “Oooooh, maybe a stuffed animal wearing a Washington, D.C., sweater or something like that,” Freedom said with a huge smile.

  I nodded, happy for her excitement.

  “Fear not, secret agents,” Liberty added. “Since you all completed the mission objectives, you get ice cream!”

  Everybody cheered.

  I said, “Great job, guys! Let’s head over for a waffle cone. There is still so much to see in Washington. We can’t do it all in one trip. We will have to come back.”

  After gathering all our items from the hotel, we boarded the Metro again, and later, the train as we journeyed back home. The Crew slept almost the whole way.

  “Thank you so much, Mr. Revere,” the Crew said in turn.

  “Thank you all. Now don’t forget to keep reading your history books, and I will see you in class after the fall break,” I said, then turned to Tommy. “I will see you tomorrow at the hospital, okay?”

  “Sure thing, Mr. Revere, great trip,” Tommy said, softly.

  * * *

  The next day I woke up early and the sun was shining brightly.

  “Look what I got for Tommy and his grandpa,” Liberty said. In his mouth he held a T-shirt that read “Hi, I’m Bill. Bill of Rights.”

  I smiled. Liberty always found a way to make me laugh no matter the situation. “That’s simply perfect,” I said.

  As we made our way back to the Veterans’ Hospital entrance, the size and beauty of the American flag blowing in the slight breeze once again captured my attention. I paused for a moment while my mind crept back to Baltimore Harbor. What courage the early Americans had.

  At the hospital entrance, a security guard once again gave my colonial outfit a look and handed me a visitor’s badge. I slowly walked toward the elevators feeling nervousness in my stomach. I realized I was afraid of what I might see or hear about Tommy’s grandpa and what I would say to comfort Tommy. A family I recognized from the last visit passed me in the hall, looking worn-out. I stopped for a moment to think of what it would be like to walk these same cold halls day after day visiting a loved one.

  When I reached Tommy’s grandfather’s room, I quietly opened the door. As I looked in, I was pleasantly surprised to see Tommy’s grandfather sitting up and engaged in conversation.

  “Check this out, Grandpa,” Tommy said. “I filled up the notebook you gave me! I really tried to pay attention and add things that you would find interesting. There are some cool facts about the White House and the Capitol Building, oh, and even the Washington Monument. I brought your photo with me and took pictures to go with my notes. You kinda went on the field trip to Washington, D.C., with me.”

  Tommy’s grandfather smiled as Tommy read from the notebook aloud. “Wow, you did all this? That’s fantastic. You are one lucky kid to be able to see these incredible sites.”

  Tommy added excitedly, “Oh, and we also got to meet Francis Scott Key in Baltimore just before he wrote the National Anthem.”

  Tommy’s grandfather smiled broadly as Tommy continued his story. I stood in the corner and waited for him to
finish.

  “Yes, Grandpa. The bombs really did burst in air. The Americans had so much courage to keep fighting. I mean the odds were totally against them. They were being bombed left and right by the British. There were like a zillion British boats in the harbor but somehow the American flag was still waving when the sun came up,” Tommy said, waving his arms wildly.

  Tommy’s grandfather listened closely with a glint in his eye.

  “And the best was when we were on the deck of the ship and the flag rose and we didn’t know if it was British or American,” Tommy continued. “And Francis Scott Key was like, Wow, it’s the American flag, we are still free. It was really cool!”

  “Oh, now that does sound cool,” Tommy’s grandfather said. “You really got around DC, all the way back to 1814.” Smiling widely, Tommy’s grandfather leaned back on the bed. He looked tired but happy. He motioned for Tommy to sit on the end of the bed beside him.

  In a deep but soft voice he said, “Tommy, we don’t know how long any of us have. But remember this: You live in an incredible country where you are truly free. To dream, to speak, to believe, and to reach as far as your skills and dedication will take you. Always remember how lucky you are even if some days seem very hard.”

  Tommy couldn’t sit still. He jumped up, smiled, and gave his grandfather a big hug.

  His grandfather hugged him back and said, “Now, go on, get out of here. Go outside in the sun and practice your spiral with that magical talking horse of yours.” Tommy’s grandfather smiled and patted Tommy on the head. He held his hand up for a high five.

  “Okay, Grandpa, get some rest, you need it,” Tommy teased, gently matching his grandfather’s tone. “I’ll do a couple extra laps just for you.” He tucked in the blanket under his grandfather’s chest.

  Tommy picked up his football and turned toward the door.

  “Hi, Tommy,” I said softly, so as not to startle him.

  “Oh, hi, Mr. Revere,” Tommy replied, surprised.

  We walked down the hall and I put my arm around Tommy’s shoulder. He looked up at me and said, “Want to go play some football? Grandpa said I need to practice my spiral.”

  “Great idea, Tommy. Maybe Liberty can even run some plays,” I said.

  We made our way back downstairs and out the sliding double doors of the main hospital entrance. This time Tommy paused and looked up at the American flag.

  “My grandfather is a hero and always will be. I’ll never forget what this flag and our country mean to him,” he said.

  I nodded, pausing in place.

  We crossed over to the field and found Liberty munching away on some snacks I left for him. “Why, hellooo there,” Liberty said, with his mouth full.

  “Mr. Revere said you are a great wide receiver,” Tommy said with a smirk.

  “I am?” Liberty replied. “Um, sure I am. Except for the minor detail that I can’t really catch the ball with my hooves. But no big deal, I can catch the ball in my mouth. I’ve been accused of having a big mouth.” He cleared his throat and looked my way.

  We all laughed. “Okay, never mind about receiving,” Tommy said. “How about you block while Mr. Revere goes out for a pass? You would be a great offensive lineman.”

  “Done. Dealio. I’m the king of blocking, I own blocking, I am blocking,” Liberty said, shaking his body as if he were listening to a fight song. “Now, you just have to explain to me what blocking is, exactly.”

  I smiled, shook my head, and thought, This should be interesting.

  “Hut, hut, hike. Go long, Mr. Revere!” Tommy shouted.

  At that moment, a gust of wind pushed the flag to its fullest size. It shook against the flagpole as if it were ready to fly off into the air.

  Liberty was darting back and forth in front of Tommy, blocking imaginary players. I shook my head at a horse playing football. Only Liberty!

  I made a quick fake and turn. Tommy whipped the ball my way.

  When the ball reached my hands for the catch, I heard Tommy shout, “Mr. Revere, did you see that spiral?”

  “Sure did, Tommy!” I said walking back to the huddle. “I know your grandfather is proud.”

  This exceptional young American named Alexia B. is a direct descendent of Pilgrims William Bradford and Elder William Brewster. We are very proud of her!

  This young fan of the book series is proudly wearing the American flag. We love to see patriotism like this!

  Acknowledgments

  I could not write these books by myself. I am blessed to have an exceptional team assembled to assist me, and they each make great contributions without which these books might never be published. I am forever grateful.

  My wife, Kathryn, is a coauthor and the tireless leader behind the entire series. She is the first one to get started early every morning and the last to wrap it in the evening. Kathryn is committed to the pursuit of excellence, and her leadership and the example she sets inspire everyone around her to be their very best. We are all very lucky: Kathryn is uncommonly intelligent and combines it with a genuine compassion and caring for so many. She has been all over the world and brings her rich, real-life experiences to every one of these books. Her goal, and ours, is to touch each reader in a genuine and heartfelt way.

  Jonathan Adams Rogers is irreplaceable. He is devoted to ensuring top-quality, accurate, honest portrayals of our history. Jonathan spends countless hours behind the scenes—researching, fact-checking, editing, and collaborating. The series would simply not be the same without him.

  Chris Schoebinger and Christopher Hiers are intricate parts of the team. Their hard work and wonderful talent profoundly help to bring this vision to life.

  Heartfelt thank-yous go out to my brother, David Limbaugh, Penelope Rogers, Louise Burke, Mitchell Ivers, the Simon & Schuster team, and everyone who is part of the Adventures of Rush Revere “Crew.” It’s a great team to be on!

  This Adventures Series is a labor of love with a mission to share the incredible stories of our founding in a unique and creative way. Our goal is to rekindle the patriotic spirit and encourage it to live on through the younger generations. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for embracing this series and providing us with the motivation to continue on. The photos, letters, and sincere praise that we receive from around the world touch our hearts beyond words. We so appreciate your support, more than you can know.

  RUSH LIMBAUGH is host of The Rush Limbaugh Show—the nation’s highest-rated talk-radio program, with an audience of more than 20 million—and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. Visit www.rushlimbaugh.com and www.rushrevere.com.

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  Also in the Adventures of Rush Revere series

  Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims

  Rush Revere and the First Patriots

  Rush Revere and the American Revolution

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  Photo Credits

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