As I make my plans to celebrate Independence Day I remember the men who signed the revered document known as the Declaration of Independence. They were great men with a great vision. Their greatness was in their willingness to risk all they had. A testament to the fact they knew just what was at stake is contained in the final paragraph of that document. "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."
There were 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. In school I learned about the document itself; about the War of Independence. About those who fought in that war... the hero's and the traitors. But little was said about those signed and risked everything. I encourage you to read the Declaration of Independence and I encourage you to read The Americans Who Risked Everything. It recounts the fate of those 56 men who had the courage to put everything on the line to give us the country we enjoy today.
Comments
Well spoken!
Another good item to read with everything going on is the US is the Constitution, more precisely the “Bill of Rights”
The first amendment is quite fitting with all that is going on today… Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The freedom of speech is for everyone, not just those that agree with you. So when there is someone that disagrees with your beliefs, don’t scream and yell, or flame them on message boards, let them state their opposing views. Freedom of speech means they have to right to disagree with you without the fear of you becoming physically or verbally violent, (which is happening more and more from the left)
If you really wish to convince them they are wrong, debate them in a polite manner and attempt to convince them using logic and facts, not emotions, muckraking, slander or name calling. When you have convinced enough people to your views you become the majority, instead of an obnoxious, overbearing and loud minority.
We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.
The rules of conduct you elucidated
And might I add, the rules of conduct for participation in a democracy that you so beautifully elucidated should also apply to obnoxious, overbearing and loud majorities, and obnoxious, overbearing and loud Presidents (by which of course I meant that scoundrel Howard Taft... who'd you think I was talking about?)
~Veronica
Well shit, I guess it really CAN happen here..,
.
They do...
They do...
folks just pretend that their words are more important than others or that their freedom of speech doesn't mean a freedom from repercussions nor that what was done under one person isn't forgotten when the same situation comes up under another person...
And that Taft was a disappointment- he ran despite not liking the job in the first place! At least he prevented the US from getting involved in the affairs of Europe...oh wait, scratch that!
I'm told STFU more times in a day than most people get told in a lifetime
freedom of speech most people
freedom of speech most people make the mistake that its the freedom to speak that is protected....
IMO
Its the freedom for you to listen or not to that person and have NO ONE or 'group think' stop the word from being said by throwing little tantrums that we see play daily on the news....Berkley I am looking at you.
That being said...if you don't like what is being said...then walk your butt away, while shaking your head.
its that simple
AKA both sides have the freedom of speech or NONE DO
Proud member of the Whateley Academy Drow clan/collective
Constitutional Rights
Our founding fathers believed strongly in a trial by jury. They thought so much of it, a swift jury trial is mentioned in three separate spots. There is no mention of citizenship as a qualifier for a jury trial.
You might not think much of judges and juries. I've had my bad experiences. But the alternative is rule by power, which is why we fought the Revolutionary War.
Being a proud American means embracing our constitution. Not just cherry-picking what suits your fancy and what doesn't. We have looked at changing it over a thousand times in Congress and actually changed it less than three dozen times.
Those who think Russia has a better constitution should go live there. . .now.
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Franklin said it best:
Franklin said it best:
"We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately."
They signed a death warrant. Too many times that summer before signing the army was on the verge of defeat. Heck if not for the men from Maryland standing their ground to allow the troops from other colonies to get away thanks to the fishermen from Massachusetts the war would have been lost on Long Island. They escaped defeat after defeat by the skin of their teeth, holding on for as long as they could. That document meant a lot, it meant they weren't fighting in vain.
Those folks in the link were forgotten about because they weren't able to serve higher office, yet they suffered as much if not more than the others. It's a shame they aren't remembered more, but they aren't entirely forgotten.
I'm told STFU more times in a day than most people get told in a lifetime
Independence
I for one think that our celebration of independence has a distinct note of irony in voting in people who will further put us in the corporate noose, leaving us even less control of our own destiny and even our own welfare.
Witness the goals of gutting the EPA, to prop up dirty industries in the name of ‘profit’. And even going so far as proposing corporate welfare for the ‘poor’ coal and oil industry which if you follow conservatism should die if they indeed become non-competitive. Gutting net neutrality. They don’t even have enough conscience to blush. Huge taxpayer subsidies to bring in companies who will leave as soon as those subsidies dry up. I’m looking at you Foxconn.
I just like
To have a barbecue, that's my favorite thing about today. My daddy usually made barbecues, the fireworks are fun too. Sadly I'm not with them right now so my celebration of BBQ day is alone and I don't have a grill ;-;
I know who I am, I am me, and I like me ^^
Transgender, Gamer, Little, Princess, Therian and proud :D