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Declaration
Jul. 4th, 2006 07:33 amEvery 4th of July NPR broadcasts the Declaration of Independence, as read by lots of their usual on-air voices.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5526473
I'm often moved to tears by the "We hold these truths" part. I know much of that section by heart, but have a hard time reciting it because I'm choked up. On the other hand, some (not all) of the grievances against King George sound more whiny than anything else. It's interesting to see continuity - the complaints against having troops quartered in private homes turned into 3rd Amendment to the Constitution 15 years later, for example. I'm a non-fan of Thomas Jefferson the hypocrite, but it's mostly a worthwhile document. It's interesting to see how Congress reined in his rhetoric somewhat:
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/congress.htm
It's also pretty unnerving to find parallels between the behavior of the two Georges (George III and our current tyrant wannabe). I read this and think of some of the folks at Guantanamo etc
"For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences"
A fairly clear description of our effect on Iraq
"He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us,"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5526473
I'm often moved to tears by the "We hold these truths" part. I know much of that section by heart, but have a hard time reciting it because I'm choked up. On the other hand, some (not all) of the grievances against King George sound more whiny than anything else. It's interesting to see continuity - the complaints against having troops quartered in private homes turned into 3rd Amendment to the Constitution 15 years later, for example. I'm a non-fan of Thomas Jefferson the hypocrite, but it's mostly a worthwhile document. It's interesting to see how Congress reined in his rhetoric somewhat:
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/congress.htm
It's also pretty unnerving to find parallels between the behavior of the two Georges (George III and our current tyrant wannabe). I read this and think of some of the folks at Guantanamo etc
"For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences"
A fairly clear description of our effect on Iraq
"He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us,"
