BS: Happy Independence Day!

Subject: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: Rapparee
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 09:30 AM

...and I don't give a damn about the problems never addressed, hypocrisy, politics, or any of the rest -- that was 230 years ago. It is the ideas expressed, not the actions actually taken. Read it completely.


IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

    He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
    He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
    He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
    He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
    He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
    He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
    He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
    He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
    He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
    He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
    He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
    He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
    He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
    For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
    For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
    For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
    For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
    For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
    For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
    For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
    For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
    For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
    He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
    He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
    He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
    He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
    He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. 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.

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: Divis Sweeney
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 09:32 AM

Best wishes from all in Ireland.
Seamus

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 10:17 AM

Nottingham (actually WEST Nottingham), New Hampshire has one of the nicest small town Fourth of July celebration that I've ever run into.

It's at Demmon's Old Crossroads Store (and the West Nottingham Post Office is a tiny addition off the side of the 1 gas pump convenience store) and starts at 7 a.m. with a free breakfast of eggs, bacon and homefries made on the grill. Then we sit around and sing and play music until 9 a.m. The Postmaster leads the ceremonial raffle (this year a hand painted locally produced tin full of candy and an American flag set), somebody (usually a child on trumpet or trombone, but this year a folkie with a guitar) leads "The Star Spangled Banner" and then David Behm (wearing a tie covered with New Hampshire state outlines and the Old Man of the Mountain) reads the entire Declaration of Independence. Not sure how long David's been doing the reading , but it's been well over 15 years.

Then we go home (about 9:30 a.m.) -- or off, as in our case, to a music party.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: greg stephens
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 11:09 AM

Go ahead abd celebrate. You dont have to drink warm beer, you dont have to play cricket, and you dont have to listen to the Archers. And best of all, you can write "gray" and "harbor" and nobody will complain..
Best wishes to all the ex-colonies
Greg

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: Alice
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 11:15 AM

Thanks for Posting the Declaration of Independence. It is good to re-read it on the 4th and remember the hopes of the founding fathers, the continuing responsiblity we have as American citizens to keep our government on task to uphold these ideals.

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: Rapparee
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 11:35 AM

Exactly.

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: gnu
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 12:14 PM

Each time I read it, I am taken aback. Inspiring, to say the least.

Have a great day eh!

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: Jeri
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 03:01 PM

I went to the same reading as Bat Goddess. I was supposed to go to the same party but I can't find the energy to move. Allergies, heat, whatever. I just ate a Claritin, but I think they day's shot. Inertia and maybe working on a song.

On topic, the Declaration is a good thing to really read at least once a year and be reminded why our founders stood up against unjust government.

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: Les from Hull
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 03:33 PM

Yes, you can certainly believe every word in that Declaration of Independence! It's the first time I've read it. The Founding Fathers must have had a lot of fun writing it!

Happy Birthday anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: Rapparee
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 04:23 PM

Actually, Les, it damned didn't get passed. There were two delegates against it, and the Ceasar Rodney, the deciding vote, rode 80 miles to cast it. The two dissenters didn't show up on July 2, 1776 because of the rain, Rodney walked in muddy and dripping wet and voted for dissolution. Two others switched their votes, and it passed without dissent.

And that was that.

(Did you know that Ben Franklin's only son was a Tory? 'S true, and I don't believe father and son ever reconciled.)

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 05:41 PM

Happy 4th!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: open mike
Date: 05 Jul 06 - 04:17 AM

i just returned home from gonig to watch the community fireworks show.
for those who missed seeing them you can go to phantom fireworks at
www.fireworks.com and download some animated fireworks...screensavers,
wallpaper, and other stuff.

did anyone else see any fireworks tonight?

the most unusual one was a geometric shape
which drew an exact square (or cube) in the air..
something i had never seen before..there was only one of them.

The best use for gunpowder that i can think of!!

peaceful converson!

what occasdions do other cultures celebrate with fireworks
and fires? I seem to recall some events in U.K. that use them. When?

i think sweden may celebrate Walpurgis night with fires and fireworks

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Independence Day!
From: Les from Hull
Date: 05 Jul 06 - 08:41 AM

For some obscure reason we in the UK celebrate the failure of the Gunpowder Plot to blow up King James I and his Parliament on 5 November 1605. The plotters wanted a return to Roman Catholicism. So they would have been about half right (IMHO).
Gunpowder Plot

We always call it 'bonfire night' up here in Yorkshire. I think it's probably more about a chance to play with fire and fireworks these days that a serious anti-Catholic celebration or a thanksgiving for the preservation of a (pretty useless) King. Perhaps it invokes some dim folk memory of Celtic fire festivals.