Archives of Alexander, Mark

A Patriot Christmas - Dec 25, 2017

Honor, justice, and humanity, forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent posterity have a right to receive from us. We cannot endure the infamy and guilt of resigning succeeding generations to that wretchedness which inevitably awaits them if we basely entail hereditary bondage on them. Thomas Jefferson (1775)

Mark Alexander is Executive Editor and Publisher of The Patriot Post, the Internet's highly acclaimed Journal of American Liberty. His academic background in government and policy combined with his occupational experience ensure his perspective as an essayist and analyst reflects the grassroots conservatism of the heartland rather than ubiquitous Beltway news and opinion.

His heritage is Scots-Irish, though he does not identify as a "hyphenated American." His is among the "First Families of Tennessee," having settled in East Tennessee prior to statehood. He is the product of a proud military legacy, including veterans of the Revolutionary War — his Tennessee militia ancestors fought at King's Mountain and on to the War's conclusion at Yorktown. His family line includes those who fought in the War of 1812 and the War Between the States (including Medal of Honor recipient George Lewis Gillespie). He is a descendant of WWI and WWII Navy aviators. His father was a Corsair pilot and his uncles were also WWII vets, one Army and one Marine.

Alexander attributes the character-rich content of his columns to the "Greatest Generation" values modeled by his parents — the timeless traits of duty, honor, courage, citizenship, service and compassion. Typical of many in his generation, Alexander learned the merits of hard work and civic responsibility early. His elementary school afternoons were spent sorting and delivering groceries for a local produce store, and his summers mowing lawns. At age 13, he became his community's youngest volunteer firefighter, and completed EMT training at 16. In high school, he learned about publishing as a print-shop apprentice for a manufacturing plant. At age 19, he completed certification from a state police academy and worked four years as a uniformed patrolman while completing his undergraduate degree.

Placing a high premium on his family's military heritage, Alexander volunteered for military service in 1979 during the Iran hostage crisis, but his aspiration to become a Naval aviator was cut short due to a disqualifying injury.

He went on to earn graduate degrees in both psychology and public affairs, and is the recipient of certifications from both military and civilian professional advancement programs. He is a graduate of the National Defense University and annual participant of national security forums at both the Air and Naval War Colleges.

Alexander received an executive level appointment to a national security post under President Ronald Reagan, and was reappointed to that post under President George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush. He resigned that appointment in 2012 after the re-election of Barack Obama.

Between 1987 and 1996, he consulted with presidential and congressional campaigns on topics ranging from critical national security interests to policy issues regarding the First, Second and Tenth Amendments to our Constitution.

In 1996, Alexander merged his interests in history, policy and national security, and launched the online journal The Federalist — now published as The Patriot Post. (Read more about The Patriot Post.)

Mark Alexander is a Life Member of the Naval Institute and Air Force Association, and supporting member of their academic foundations. He is a Life Member of the National Rifle Association and a professional member of other associations. He serves on the national boards of several organizations, including the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. He is a member of the Council for National Policy and a Heritage Foundation Associate. He has held leadership positions with the Boy Scouts of America as an Executive Council Member and Troop leader. Alexander and his family reside in the eastern mountains of the Great State of Tennessee.

Visit Mark Alexander's web site at https://patriotpost.us/