Some random thoughts about Independence Day (Louisville, Jamestown: buy, living, dangerous)

[jazzlover]

As Coloradans celebrate Independence Day (I dislike the term "July 4th" or "the 4th" because it says nothing of why we celebrate this day), they should take a moment to think about what the day should mean. Far too many of us think of it only as a day to go screw off in the mountains, drink beer, and watch some fireworks. By neglecting to remember why we celebrate this day, we also forget the values and the principles that led that group of men to write the Declaration of Independence back in 1776. We have--in many ways--strayed far from those values and principles, and that is now costing us dearly.

Our founding fathers yearned for freedom--freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and freedom in living of life and of making a living. They also clearly understood that no freedoms could be absolute, and they endeavored to design a government that could allow the maximum amount of freedoms, but also be able to provide for just and fair treatment of the citizenry when it was necessary to temper those freedoms. Those brilliant men clearly understood the difference between freedom and anarchy--the difference between a just and minimalist government vs. chaos. Government "of, by, and for the people" was the watchword. The founding fathers also embraced the concept of separation of powers of government--a concept that today probably only a small minority of the US population even understands.

The government those visionaries designed was, as a deliberate act, made largely secular--those men, religious God-fearing individuals themselves, clearly recognized that government mixed with religion almost always becomes tyrannical and oppressive toward some or all of its citizens.

The desire for independence was also grounded in the desire for economic independence. A major form of tyranny which was reviled by the founding fathers was the status of the embryonic colonies as economic hostages of foreign governments and capitalists. They very correctly recognized that--so long as they were beholden to foreigners for basic resources, manufacturing capability, investment capital, and technology--their fledgling society could never truly be free. The Revolutionary War that followed the Declaration of Independence was as much about establishing economic independence as it was about political independence.

People should also remember that the vision of our founding fathers is still a young and fragile experiment--like a delicate plant that requires constant tending and nurturing. That vision can only be as strong as the will of all of us who love it, protect it, and cherish it--its strength and endurance can only come from us.

We should think for just a moment about how many ways we have strayed from the founders' vision, and also how we have slipped--through greed, sloth, and complacency--into the same dangerous circumstances of dependency that threated those fragile colonies in 1776. Just how willing have we recently been to trade our independence and freedom for comfort, easy living, and the belief (counter to everything the founding fathers stood for) that it is possible to get something for nothing?

We, as Coloradans, should also recognize that our place is a relative latecomer to this experiment. It was over a quarter-century after the signing of the Declaration of Independence before what is now the northern and eastern portions of Colorado became part of the United States of America. For the southern portions of Colorado, and all of the Western Slope, it would be 1848 before it became part of the United States. Many a Colorado family does not have roots in the colonial colonies of the United States, but rather have ancestors who were Native Americans whose presence in this place dates back for many centuries, or have ancestors who lived in this region a over a century-and-a-half ago as citizens of Spain or Mexico. That is also part of our heritage in this region.

So, as I watch the fireworks tonight, I will be thankful for all the blessings we have enjoyed thanks to the vision of those brilliant men who risked everything to launch this grand experiment. Those men pledged their fortunes and their lives for those ideals, because they realized that neither life nor property has much value without freedom. I will also be mindful that we have perilously strayed from their vision and ideals, and we must regain them.

[esya]

Blah Blah--what about all the women who took care of the babies, and the elderly, and made dinner and raised the food, and gave up fame and fortune for the same dreams they had that they shared with their male family members? Men are brilliant and women are--under-appreciated and underpaid for the work they do. Personally I think there should be a veteran's rights benefit for every woman that raises a child or cares for a parent or a husband.

If it wasn't for all those women, our settlements would have gone the way of the first Jamestown.

Happy Independence Day to all the young women out there who will be making their own lives and a place in history for themselves as well. That is the beauty of the American dream.

[Katiana]

I believe it was Abigail Adams who told her husband John, to "remember the ladies".

I had a fantastic Fourth, finished off by some great fireworks at the Louisville golf course.

[Noahma]

Thank you Jazz, usualy I dont see eye to eye with you, but this post is very good. And for you Esay, During one of the battles in which the patriots lost, the british soldiers found a woman holding her husband who had been shot. They realized soon afterwards that she was covered in gun powder. After her husband was shot, she took up arms and fought along side the malepatriots for our freedoms.

The first martyr of the war, was an african-American.

Some great things happened, but alas people only read the big picture, and forget the details of the story.

[jazzlover]

For clarification, my reference to the "founding fathers" who signed the Declaration of Independence was historical, not sexist. They were all men--simple fact. I have always been one who has respected the myriad contributions that women have made to this country. I am proud of the fact that I lived for a time in a state (Wyoming) that was the first to grant women suffrage, had the first female jury, first female judge, and first female governor in the US. My working peers have frequently been women, and I have had a woman boss (and a quite good one at that). So, when it comes to advocating equality for women, you're preaching to the choir.

The only failing I've found in women has been the failure of a couple of them in being able to put up with me--and I guess, in many ways, I really can't blame them for that . . .

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

. . . The only failing I've found in women has been the failure of a couple of them in being able to put up with me--and I guess, in many ways, I really can't blame them for that . . .

Keep it up and the mod will move this thread to Relationships Forum! (Ewwww)

[sterlinggirl]

and give it a Barry Manilow soundtrack

[jazzlover]

Next time I'll just find a woman I hate and buy her a house. It's a lot simpler.

This is on-topic--it's all about independence, baby!

[DOUBLE H]

Speaking of independence, I do a fair amount of bitching myself about what goes on in this country, but as soon as I turn on the news, it changes somewhat. From Afghanistan to Tibet to Cambodia to Zimbabwe to Iraq to Venezuela I am reminded , by the **** I see on the tube, I'm reminded that this place isn't too bad after all!

[ocean2026]

Yeah Double H Our place is good - we like to cause hell and make life miserable for other countries. Sure we gave Iraq biological weapons and Bush's own 9-11 commission concluded there was "no credible evidence linking Iraq with 9-11" and as we later found no evidence of WMD's. Isn't life better here than there - YOU BET!

IN Vietnam we broke the 1955 accords and canceled the free elections we promised when CIA polling showed HO Chi Minh would be the winner in a landslide. So we bombed and napalmed the **** out of them - Isn't life better here than there! YOU BET!
IN Cuba and the Bay of Pigs we KNEW the people would rise up against Cuba because they wanted democracy! But the bay of pigs Cubans were slaugthered like dogs and all we are left with is the Cuban losers in Florida who want us to fight their battles for them. Through years of blockades and dirty tricks we are probably living better than them too Yes even though most people around the world dislike us- things aren't so bad here after all!