On this 4th of July, I wanted to treat you to one of the most famous and fiery speeches given during our struggle for freedom in this great country. I have edited it down slightly to give you the highlights. Would that one among us today could speak w…

Are there any today to pledge their “lives and their sacred honor” to such a cause?

Aye, 159,000 of them in Iraq today. Millions more here at home I would hope.
I’m in, for one.

God Bless America!

Various members of theater groups would be asking, “What did Washington know and when did he know it?” A certain someone in that community would equate the Continental Army to terrorists. Cries of “no blood for tea” would be made.

Thats a bad joke.

Rick, your comment was insightful and appreciated. You have inspired me to make a trip to Borders Book store. Happy 4th of July. God bless America, God bless the troops.

jose

Hi Michelle Malkin!!!,Trackback from wedoit4you.com on Liveblogging the Continental Congress at http://www.wedoit4you.com/archive/2007/07/04…

The contrast makes it a particularly duty-bound responsibility that we remember and honor the Founding Father’s life or death courage, their idealism toward the rights of every living person and their determination that all men should live free, all the while humble enough bow down and understand the existance of and thank a presence greater than themselves.

In the all-hope-is-not-lost department, my wife and I happened upon an old-fashioned scene the other night: an early-evening large band concert in a park; the band in a large gazebo, a large number of local appreciators in chairs, benches and beach towels on the grass, picnicing, enjoying each other and generations wondering about the futures of others. We sat on the grass in their midst and had a light dinner of sandwiches and enjoyed what was prehaps an hour left of the show, comprised mainly of old standards. With no announcement, the last song played was the Star Spangled Banner, and with no prompting by anyone, everyone stood – not in unision but close enough – each following the lead of others – turned to the flag and put their hand over their hearts and stood in silence as the band played to the end. It was much more moving than my wanting writing skills can convey. Not a ritual or an illustration of brainwashing as some gross cynics might suggest, but a conscious and deliberate determination of all there to show respect to an idea and ideal – and to those who died to defend it . Now the shocker: this was in Vermont! So, as I say, all hope is not lost.

Have a Happy July 4th, everyone!

“Jefferson proposed to me to make the draught. I said, ‘I will not.’

” ‘You ought to do it.’

” ‘Oh, no.’

” ‘Why?’

” ‘Reasons enough.’

” ‘What can be your reasons?’

” ‘Reason first-you are a Virginian and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second-I am obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. You are very much otherwise. Reason third-you can write 10 times better than I can.’

” ‘Well,’ said Jefferson, ‘if you are decided, I will do as well as I can.’”

Can you believe GW didn’t want to be KING? something wrong with him, get the headboard.

anonymous. Whatever we do, just don’t let Hancock go first, ya know how he gets all big headed and sh*t.

lastly…
should we have a time limit on signing this DecIn thing? what say 4 or 5 years ?
( memory serves me that the last to sign did so many years later)
five years. ( I looked it up)

John Hancock, as president of Congress, signed the document. Charles Thomson, the clerk, added his attesting signature. It later was ordered transcribed on parchment and was signed by most of the rest of Congress on Aug. 2, 1776. Thomas McKean of Delaware was the last to sign, in 1781.