Monday isn’t just July 4th. It’s Independence Day. In honor of the occasion, I urge you to go to the National Archives and read the Declaration of Independence. (Full text is here.)
Imagine that troops from a foreign country had traveled across a sea and were occupying your homeland. Read the list of grievances against King George. Read it all the way to the end. It’s an eye-opener.
Perfectly apt, and not coincidentally, both are named George. The two that stood out immediately were:
__(1) For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us (160,000 strong and will be for as long as politicians use it as a tool to get elected or keep someone else from being elected), and,
__(2) For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States. (Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, even Afghanistan prisons anyone?)
Sad thing is many don’t need to “Imagine that troops from a foreign country had traveled across a sea and were occupying your homeland”. Its their reality.
Great post, Ed and appropriate.
If you’re more of a listener, I did a reading of the Declaration of Independence on my podcast, The BrockCast (available at my website).
Happy Independence Day all!!