“If a young officer or Marine ever asks what is the meaning of Semper Fidelis,” Col. Ripley once told a friend, “tell them my story.” Purchase your copy now This first cradle-to-grave biography of Col. John W. Ripley by Norman Fulkerson provides readers with the complete story about a great man who … Read more
On October 27, the TFP Washington Bureau was filled with friends and supporters to hear a presentation on the book, An American Knight The Life of Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC just authored by TFP member Norman Fulkerson. The author presented the book to a full and lively auditorium of some 50 … Read more
The day of the April monthly Public Square Rosary was dark and threatening. That did not stop 25 devotees of Our Lady to show up to offer a public rosary in reparation for a sign that has been placed on a public billboard in Topeka, Kansas. This sign says, “Imagine no religion.” … Read more
The family and friends of Col. John Walter Ripley said their final goodbyes during a moving funeral ceremony on November 7, 2008 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He was laid to rest with full military honors in a ceremony that left most attendees either teary-eyed or speechless. Among the … Read more
War hero, practicing Catholic and cherished friend of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP), Col. John Ripley, died at his home in Annapolis, Maryland on November 1, 2008. Col. John Ripley was born June 29, 1939 in Radford, Va., and descended from a line of soldiers … Read more
An old adage states that you only meet two great people in a lifetime. After visiting Col. John W. Ripley (USMC Ret.), I can say I met my first one. As Col. Ripley politely invited my colleagues from Tradition, Family and Property Student Action and me into his office on October 31, … Read more
Introduction When a society no longer respects and honors the fighting men willing to shed their blood for its principles, the fault lies not with the fighting men but with society itself. Ingratitude is a subtle vice, but a vice nevertheless. Saint Thomas Aquinas says that a debt of gratitude is a … Read more
Americans love heroes. Something about them grips the American soul. Perhaps the attraction lies precisely in going against the zeitgeist of this hedonistic age. Heroes are outside the box. They do not fare well in a culture where real living has been reduced to pre-packaged experiences and media-generated events. They get lost … Read more
Mediocrity and egoism are engrained in the modern world. Heroism, self-sacrifice, and honor are often unwelcome and seldom given the admiration they deserve. After all, we are taught that comfort, security, and personal advancement come first. How many men are willing to go beyond the call of duty for an ideal greater … Read more
The precise evaluation of the importance of an event can only rarely be achieved by the employing of just one criterion. Much more than this is normally required. In fact, it behooves one to consider all of the criteria applicable to the case, in order to be able to arrange them immediately … Read more