Eight years ago yesterday, I delivered this picture to a printer to be printed. Eight years ago this morning as the presses ran, we were attacked. Today is 9-11-2009.
Why is Bound to Glory the most feared painting in America when the recipients overwhelmingly love it? The short answer is that it requires people at all levels to 'openly' take a stand for something, namely our country. It is said that a picture is worth a 1,000 words. The inspired message that is part of the painting totals 247 words.

Inspired Message:

“BOUND TO GLORY”
On the first day of painting the background and Eagle, I saw what appeared to be an image of our founding forefather and first President, George Washington. It originated in the upper right-hand corner of the canvas where the thirteen stars are now placed. Within this area was painted the Dove representing the Holy Spirit. Under the right wing of the Dove is the Bald Eagle, the symbol of our country, perched on the foundation with its talons gripping the cornerstone of America. With its footing well established two centuries earlier, today, America’s Eagle is Bound to Glory by today’s flag. The original blessing bestowed upon the country and flag is represented by the heavens pouring out its stars onto the blue field of the flag. The cleansing blood of Christ, for this newborn Christian country, is represented by the red of the flag. The conviction and purity of the Holy Spirit flows from the wing of the Dove into the stripes of the flag. Today, the powerful Eagle looks over its left wing and upwards to the Dove for direction and inspiration. Always there to be called upon, whether it be a nation or an individual, the Hand of God places the Word (Bible) under the wing of the Eagle (America), as the moral compass to follow. Resting on the lower left hand corner of the cornerstone is a gold pocket watch. The hands indicate a few moments past the eleventh hour.
Sincerely,
Kern Baxter
If you would like a free download of this painting, I would like you to know a (little) something about it, Please read this first.
I painted Bound to Glory in September of 1998. Unemployed as a crane operator, an acquaintance heard that years before I was once interested in painting. As an encouragement, he asked if I would paint an Eagle for him 'someday'. I had tried to get back to painting recently, but after 15 years being away from it, I was shocked to find that I was just not able to do it, Apparently, I had lost my touch and my patience as well. But, out of necessity I gathered some used rejected paints, brushes and old moldy canvas and proceeded.
(What happened next is so amazing that a local TV station ran a special 30 minute program about it. (I'll save that story for another day.) Finishing in no time, I framed the painting with a $10 garage sale frame. I decided not to show it to the intended recipient because I was afraid he might want it, which was the idea. Why not show him? Because after what happened, I was certain it was it was intended for a President's eye's and it would hang at the White House. I was quite sure about it, but friends thought this was a tall order for any artist, let alone an unknown one from Matlacha.
Not surprisingly, it found its way into to a small 7' X 7' room of a 1950's 30' aluminum travel trailer. With a Panama Hat, hammock, three Amazon parrots and the painting, we all sort of hung around on the small S.W. Florida fishing Island. One moonlit night about a year later, I was setting outside of this trailer under a coconut palm tree near the water. Through the small trailer widow, in the moonlight I caught a glimpse of the almost forgotten dusty framed painting. I reflected on the painting with the all important 'inspired message' that soon followed its creation. I could not understand why it was in a trailer and not in the White House where it belonged. Still, I was sure that one day it would be there. And one day it finally made it there just as I always believed it would. Three years after it was painted, I was suddenly struck with a deep sense of urgency to stop procrastinating and QUICKLY have the painting reproduced as a print.
The image along with its inspired message was to go 'First to Americas Leaders' and then to 'the American people'. Very important. Without having the ability to fund the project, on faith, I began the process to do a print run. It was scheduled for the following week. I completed the final master on disk and delivered it to the printer September 10, 2001. The next day with the printing presses running, our nation was attacked. That day was September 11, 2001. Immediately, I realized that the many prompting's I had encountered in recent weeks had all been divinely orchestrated to establish that God's hand was still upon this painting. The (push) leading up to September 11 to get the painting into print now made sense to me. It was imperative that the painting be printed at this moment in time. Any deviation or delay at any point along the way would have changed this story.
The following day, an offer was made to me to have as many as many as 100,000 prints a day produced to fill the expected demand by the public. Remembering that 'still small voice' about it going to the Leaders first, and citing my belief that the painting had a much greater purpose than to take advantage of our nations tragedy. Respectfully, I declined the offer. In God's timing, I now believe I know why. Our countries leaders were given a chance to show their true colors. They dropped the ball. Eight years later, it is America, "We the people's" turn, to accept or reject the painting and its message. Eight stands for new beginnings, if only we choose see it that way. Starting in Florida in 2002, with the assistance of House Representative Jeff Kottkamp and his staff, now Lt. Governor Kottkamp, my wife Janet and I began the process of delivering Hundreds of framed reproductions to House and Senate Member's, Judges, Church Pastors and Business owners. Except for one House member, we received a nearly 100% enthusiastic response in PRIVATE by the recipients, however, it was another matter when they were asked to publicly stand by a painting that stood for God, Country and the Flag. Our leaders had mostly stepped back to let a small vocal few speak for them, but not for us.
Our country has paid a price for this, but the coming price we'll pay as a nation will be far greater than the economic crash we are now confronted with if 'we the people' continue to make excuses and blame only the politicians 'we elect' and continue to elect to office. I've learned much over these past eight years, both nationally and internationally.
 
Let me describe two kinds of people here and abroad.
There is a type of person that yearns for the opportunity afforded us by our founders and the constitution. This person seeks a chance to be free, to work hard and be somebody by the application of their own efforts and ideas. To be successful or fail, to be able to rise and learn from the experiences of life and get up and go at it again, and in doing so, stand as an example to others where ever people are 'longing also to be free exist'!
This is what my father-in-law did. As a small Ecuadorian Inca child, he lived in a remote village high up in the Andes with only the word 'Inca' as a last name. One day he heard of a country, the one that was like a 'shinning city on a hill' the same one that President Reagan knew of. That one on a high mountain where people will not carry you to the top, but will gladly show you how to make it to the top with them. A city that was higher than any mountain in Ecuador and shined brighter than all Inca Gold. With only his desire and his dreams, Nelson (Inca) Valle did make it to America. He saw America for what it was and still can be for those that would come here to build on it rather that divide it and take it away. He saw opportunity and taught it to his children.
He believed the movies he saw. Movies that were made in Hollywood that built up America when real American producers and directors stood for something. He believed Americas legends and its heroes. And why shouldn't he believe all this when one of those Hollywood actors walked off the silver screen into the White House to bring down an Evil Empire. Not an make believe Evil Empire from Star Wars, but a real one right here on Earth. An atheistic disbelieving empire called Russia. Its spirit is still among us. Ever present, waiting to build on the ignorance and handouts of the something for nothing crowd. When the President's own advisors didn't believe Russia's fall was possible, he himself believed. He became the greatest American President in modern times. The constitution was not just a piece of paper to both of these two men. It was a map to a better life, framed by our founders. My father in law came and learned our language and taught his children to to the same. He worked as a janitor and held (two jobs) in New York City, both at the same time. Later, he joined the Merchant Marines. He encouraged his children to serve their new country and to join the Navy. Three of then did, including my wife Janet Valle. All took an oath to protect and defend our country from all enemies, foreign and domestic and to protect the constitution of the United States of America. As a crowing achievement and testament to his story, one of his sons stood as an Honor Guard in the Oval Office for President Ronald Reagan. Only in America! From a village in Ecuador to the Oval Office of President Ronald Reagan. This is the America Nelson Valle, my father in law knew and loved and so do I. His picture is on my website with two of his grandchildren while they were visiting Disney World in the 90's. On the other hand, the other type of person covertly builds them self up by tearing others down, causing division at all levels within their sphere in influence. You meet them at all levels, imitating life, but never truly living it. They are here and abroad. Silver tongued orators that promise the moon with other peoples efforts they themselves can't deliver. I was born into a blue collar environment and proud of it. Became an Operating Engineer (tower crane operator). Unions usually vote straight democratic.
When Ronald Reagan became President, our country felt awful, many people felt like we had to apologize for being Americans. The only difference between then and now is that we now have a President that is actually apologizing to the world for us. I can tell you something firsthand, I personally lived through all of this. President Reagan made America and Americans believe in themselves once again. And countries also began to respected us again. Everybody likes a winner, this applies to countries just like people. Any General knows that the way to defeat an enemy is to divide and conquer. That is what is happening to America today. The crazy people of my generation
are now in positions of power. This, flower power generation as they were called, has blossomed into a bunch of fruitcakes. 
Attracting people to come to this country for a free lunch and a free ride to the benefit office. Collect Social Security, full medical and send their kids to college ahead of ours, Make no mistake about it, the only purpose behind these programs are to hook voters into getting something for nothing and swing the votes their way long enough to create a socialist state that will ultimately take away your will and ability to resist their total control. Bait and switch, this is exactly what is happening here now and in Ecuador too with the new President that was elected 2 years ago. Human nature is human nature and it never changes. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
My father in law believed you come to a country to follow its ways. You go to Ecuador to live you learn the language. You come here to Americas to live you learn the language. Don't try and re-create the country you left, otherwise why would you come? To take it over? Believe me, this is happening. It is now time for Americans to once again stand for America, one nation under God as was the 'original intent' outlined by our founders. Laws should not be made by an atheistic ACLU's interpretation, whose founder publicly stated ("Communism is the goal"), and rubber stamped by a Judge wanting to be popular at the next round of cocktail parties held in his so called honor. This 'oligarchy' that the Supreme court has become, was expressly warned about by President Thomas Jefferson, the main writer of our Declaration of Independence. By now, most informed Americans know that the words, separation of Church and State are not found anywhere in our constitution. Why do we not know of these things? Very simple, if you know your history you will have the knowledge of our founders. If they keep your history from you, when they change history, you will accept it because you'll believe its constitutionally OK. By design, we have been intentionally dumbed down in part by the NEA and other historical (modern day) revisionist. Once a generation has been purged of its history, their minds can be reprogrammed to accept another form of repackaged government.
These are not policy changes, this is total system change. I was born in 1950. I have experienced the carry over of Americas values from the first half of that century including those from that 'special generation' that fought in WW2 for America and all of the free world. I also watched the craziness of the latter half of the century unfold, the one I was responsible for. As President Lincoln said, if this country fails it will be from within and not from an outside enemy. One of the biggest problems we have is that we don't believe we can cease to be a great country. History repeats itself and history is full of such examples to the contrary..

So, in complying with I believe is the the second part of the purpose of Bound to Glory, it is being offered to the American people, (FREE). No excuses this time, read and agree to the simple terms. Remember, I turned down an offer to sell to the mass merchandisers what may have been millions of prints. I know that if something is free, often no value is place on it. This is a decision for the beholder to contend with within their own conscience. You can also listen to the Bound to Glory song by Dr. Bonnie Soltis by following the links on our website. Although supporters have stepped out from all walks of life, the people that have loved, respected and have been most proud to stand not behind, but beside this painting have been the following. Military Soldiers and Veterans, Police, First Generation Immigrants and Many Christians. Thank you for reading this. If you would, please pass this message along to as many people as you care to and invite them to download a free copy of Bound to Glory.

Sincerely: Kern Baxter
   
Terms:
Bound to Glory (copyright Kern Baxter 1998) is protected under U.S. and International copyright laws.
The download image is formatted to produce a quality 8" X 10" print that can be framed and placed on your desk or wall.
This also applies to the inspired message. The inspired message is considered part of the print.
I would be happy for you to download a free copy of Bound to Glory and its inspired message, just agree to the following terms.
1) The download image and inspired message of Bound to Glory are for your personal use or as a gift.
2) One download per person.
3) They are not to be altered, sold, reproduced or used commercially.
4) They are displayed in a respectful way. That's it. If you agree to these simple terms, Submit the form below and then you
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