Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Happy Fourth of July and Don't Forget Why

It's been well over 2oo years since a brave group of visionaries we commonly refer to as the Founding Fathers hammered out a bold Declaration of Independence from a British tyrant known as King George, and with an unshakable resolve, went to battle for what they held dear, namely independence from Britain and the right to choose our destiny as a country and as individual people without government micromanagement and interference. For this, I am always going to be thankful. Were the founders of our country perfect or saints? HELL NO!! They had human failings and frailties like the rest of us, but they stood united for something noble that transcended all that. The idea of individual liberty, free-will and personal responsibility for one's own life and the course it took, and having a just and moral society in which to practice those ideals.

The ensuing Revolutionary War was bloody and perilous to put it mildly, but in the end, it was truly worth it. The Founding Fathers took a huge risk, in that if we lost, they ALL could've been hanged for treason by the British government. Thankfully, that didn't come to pass.

So, a couple centuries later, as we gather with family, friends and the like to BBQ and share good times, please don't forget what led up to this day we celebrate our independence from tyranny.

And given our current state of affairs with an administration that seems hell-bent on throwing the Constitution and the rule of law in the garbage, presided over by someone named George, let's keep in mind we DON'T have to accept this state of affairs, the Founding Fathers were mad enough not to either.

Declaration of Independence

The US Constitution

The Bill of Rights and Constitutional Amendments

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great post! I can hear Lee Greenwood singing in the background!!

In spite of it all I am still proud to be an American. :)