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Happy 4th, take time to read the Declaration of Independence today
linux203:
238 years ago, 56 colonialist signed a document that amounted to treason. Each knew the signature was punishable by death. This was not drafted in haste. Whenever I read the Declaration, it's very humbling. The words are powerful. Strong enough to start a war.
You think we live in perilous times now? We are far from it.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html
Happy 4th.
gryphon:
“Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it.”
— John Adams
m.marino:
Yes it is a worth while document to read. I read it often and teach it to my children. If you look at a lot of what is going on these days you might find we are closer to those times than our forefathers would or did tolerate. Now the fun of how to restore the republic without having to go down the route of war is interesting at the least to say. I hope it is possible. -Michael
TheQ:
It's just a piece of paper -- like the Constitution, it has no power. It puts no penalty into the government for breaking it and if it does, it counts on the Government to discipline itself.
Hahaha
m.marino:
No Phil, it counts on the people to discipline the government. Read the first two paragraphs and that is pointed out very clearly. Yes it is a piece of paper on which ideas reasons and wrongs where written that over the next 13 yrs in history laid the foundation to a Federated Republic of States.
These where learned men who knew that power could and would corrupt even themselves, most spoke more than one language (most folks don't know there was strong debate on what the official language of the US government was to be or that it did not mandate what each of the states used at first). They had read the writings of the thinkers of their time as well as the classical works available to them. In these modern times one must work hard to match the understanding and knowledge these men brought together when crafting the USA. No it is a document well worth reading and not only it but many of the works and memoirs of those who crafted it. As stated earlier they put all at risk to establish what they hoped was a nation that would grow with the ideas they held so dear as it's foundation. - Michael
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