I was, and today is the day to celebrate 230 years of independence from those nasty Britons. Learn a bit from the White House website about how, on July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.
The full transcript of the Declaration of Independence can be seen at the National Archives, but the beginning phrases should be well known:
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
It goes on to say some pretty good things.
Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA, on the other hand, is actually kind of depressing, if you can get past that oh-so-catchy chorus.
I got in a little hometown jam
And so they put a rifle in my hands
Sent me off to Vietnam
To go and kill the yellow man
In his July 4th radio address, President Bush said
On the 4th of July we also honor the sacrifices made by each American generation to secure the promises of the Declaration of Independence. For more than two centuries, from the camps of Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan, Americans have served and sacrificed for the principles of our founding.
Today, a new generation of American patriots is defending our freedom against determined and ruthless enemies.
…
As we celebrate the 4th, we also remember that the promises of liberty contained in our Declaration apply to all people. Because Americans believe that freedom is an unalienable right, we value the freedom of every person in every nation. And because we are committed to the God-given worth of every life, we strive to promote respect for human dignity. Today, all who live in tyranny and all who yearn for freedom can know that America stands with them.
Call me cynical, but I think Bruce Springsteen’s version was more accurate of the sacrifices made by American generations.
5 comments ↓
you be cynical. it’s your god-given right and your family heritage. I have to share a podcast with you, about GWB - it’s very very funny. when next I see you…
Okie - damn Italians
I’ve just read your “predictions” blog again… Argentina v. Brazil would have been good. But instead we have France v. Italy. They’re both excellent and worthy candidates for losing badly - I can’t decide which one I prefer less.
But go the Maroons!!
Wow! That just shows you don’t know a damn thing about the military! Actually, after perusing through your blog, I find you are quite ignorant on many subjects. But hell, that’s pretty normal among journalists.
Thanks for perusing.
I’ll quite happily admit I don’t know much about the military, not having been in it or spent much time studying it.
I know what I said in this post could be offensive or seen as narrowminded, but I’m intentionally not taking the time (in most posts on this blog) to go in-depth.
Anything any of us say has the potential to be offensive to someone at some point, but what exactly riled you here?
Or maybe less confrontational, going with something we can both agree on (my lack of knowledge), what in this post made that lack of knowledge obvious to you?
If you can’t be bothered going into it, as I usually can’t be bothered to do, thanks for stopping by!
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