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Sowell: What Are We Celebrating?
Creators Syndicate ^ | July 5, 2016 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 07/04/2016 11:16:34 AM PDT by jazusamo

There was a time when the Fourth of July meant something more than a three-day weekend. Speeches, writings and commemorative ceremonies reminded us of the origins and greatness of America. No matter where in the world our ancestors came from, we today are almost invariably better off because they came to America.

Independence Day signified much more than one country announcing its independence from another on July 4, 1776. It represented a new form of government — freer and more accountable to its own people than the monarchies common around the world for centuries.

What happened in America did not stay in America. The example of freedom inspired other peoples in other lands. As a famous poem put it, it was America's "embattled farmers," fighting for their own freedom and independence, who "fired the shot heard round the world."

There was no question then that the United States was "exceptional," however much the smug elites of today — including our President — try to dismiss the idea. Because self-government on such a large scale was a unique experiment, the founders of the American republic were very much aware that it had its dangers. Thomas Jefferson warned that "eternal vigilance" was the price of liberty. Even generations later, Abraham Lincoln expressed his fervent hope that "government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth." The survival of freedom was not something he took for granted.

Today, too many Americans take freedom for granted, as just another entitlement, something that does not require them to take any personal responsibility.

(Excerpt) Read more at creators.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: america; eternalvigilance; freedom; independenceday; liberty; patriotism; sowell; thomassowell
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HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY ALL!
1 posted on 07/04/2016 11:16:34 AM PDT by jazusamo
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To: abigail2; Amalie; American Quilter; arthurus; awelliott; Bahbah; bamahead; Battle Axe; ...
*PING*
Thomas Sowell


2 posted on 07/04/2016 11:17:57 AM PDT by jazusamo (Have YOU Donated to Free Republic? https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: jazusamo

As I like to say, self-government requires self-involvement.


3 posted on 07/04/2016 11:21:44 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: jazusamo

No matter what the scumbag leftists who are the Democrat party say about those founding fathers we are about to find out how devastating their solutions are to ‘fixing’ it. The United States did more good for the world than any other.


4 posted on 07/04/2016 11:23:48 AM PDT by VermithraxPejorative (HILLARY NEEDS TO ANSWER FOR DEMOCRAT JUDGES SOFT ON CRIME/REPEAT OFFENDERS)
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To: jazusamo

Thanks for the ping jaz. Happy Fourth of July to you, and yours.


5 posted on 07/04/2016 11:24:51 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists Call 'em what you will, they all have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: FreedomPoster

Well said!

And, as I like to say, “Jail Congress!”


6 posted on 07/04/2016 11:25:44 AM PDT by Zarro (JAIL CONGRESS!)
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To: VermithraxPejorative

Amen!


7 posted on 07/04/2016 11:25:55 AM PDT by jazusamo (Have YOU Donated to Free Republic? https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: rockinqsranch

Thank you my FRiend, and the same to you and yours.


8 posted on 07/04/2016 11:27:13 AM PDT by jazusamo (Have YOU Donated to Free Republic? https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: FreedomPoster

Perhaps you should define your use of “self-involvement here.

The typical usage of being self-involved - wrapped up in ones self or ones own thoughts - would seem to contradict, unless perhaps you mean a certain amount of minding ones own business.


9 posted on 07/04/2016 11:29:31 AM PDT by lepton ("It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into"--Jonathan Swift)
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To: jazusamo
America's Founders' passion was for liberty, and they warned us about people like the Clintons and other so-called "progressives":
"...nip the shoots of arbitrary power in the bud, is the only maxim which can ever preserve the liberties of any people. When the people give way, their deceivers, betrayers, and destroyers press upon them so fast, that there is no resisting afterwards. The nature of the encroachment upon the American constitution is such, as to grow every day more and more encroaching. Like a cancer, it eats faster and faster every hour. The revenue creates pensioners, and the pensioners urge for more revenue. The people grow less steady, spirited, and virtuous, the seekers more numerous and more corrupt, and every day increases the circles of their dependents and expectants, until virtue, integrity, public spirit, simplicity, and frugality, become the objects of ridicule and scorn, and vanity, luxury, foppery, selfishness, meanness, and downright venality swallow up the whole society." - John Adams
But, then, we need to remind ourselves, with Lloyd Marcus, that "We Are Americans," and, as such we are free to choose new leaders who are not bound to the "deceivers, betrayers, and destroyers" who have led us to the present "encroachment on the American constitution."
10 posted on 07/04/2016 11:36:58 AM PDT by loveliberty2
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To: jazusamo

Celebrating the founding of this country on the 4th of July is about the same as people truly celebrating Christ’s birth on December 25th.


11 posted on 07/04/2016 11:37:40 AM PDT by HypatiaTaught (Live with Trump or Die with Hillary)
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SUPPORT FREE REPUBLIC

F-4U

Please click pic to donate or become a MONTHLY DONOR

12 posted on 07/04/2016 11:41:00 AM PDT by jazusamo (Have YOU Donated to Free Republic? https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: jazusamo

(a side-note, Thomas Sowell would be a great VP pick)


13 posted on 07/04/2016 11:46:51 AM PDT by Mr Apple (......everyone needs go to the polls in Nov.....or we'll be outvoted!)
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To: jazusamo

Thanks for posting some Thomas Sowell, he’s an inspirational American and beacon of sanity that I’ve enjoyed reading for about 20 years now.


14 posted on 07/04/2016 12:07:31 PM PDT by BloodScarletMinnesota
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To: HypatiaTaught
Really?
What's the connection, if any?
15 posted on 07/04/2016 12:09:43 PM PDT by BloodScarletMinnesota
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To: jazusamo

“Today, too many Americans take freedom for granted, as just another entitlement, something that does not require them to take any personal responsibility.”
*******************************

Anticipating the other gubmint shoo to drop IS NOT freedom!

;)

The ONLY cavalry on the horizon is...Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trump...... if we can keep him!
Semper TRUMP!!!!!
*****


16 posted on 07/04/2016 12:20:11 PM PDT by gunnyg ("A Constitution changed from Freedom, can never be restored; Liberty, once lost, is lost forever...)
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To: gunnyg

Absolutely!

Go Trump Go!


17 posted on 07/04/2016 12:21:52 PM PDT by jazusamo (Have YOU Donated to Free Republic? https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: jazusamo

I love that man. He is getting up in age and I hope he is doing well.

An American Treasure.

Too bad the left won’t even read his work, let alone consider his thoughts.


18 posted on 07/04/2016 12:23:45 PM PDT by Semper911 (When you want to rob Peter to pay Paul, you'll always have the support of Paul.)
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To: BloodScarletMinnesota

Ok, I am going to spell this out for you...

With Christmas, it’s generally about PRESENTS for me or for thee.

With the 4th, it’s generally about BBQ’S, Parties and Fireworks.

These holidays were taken over by commercialism over a century ago...


19 posted on 07/04/2016 12:39:50 PM PDT by HypatiaTaught (Live with Trump or Die with Hillary)
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To: BloodScarletMinnesota
...that I've enjoyed reading for about 20 years now. In front of me, I'm looking at the cover of one of the series of books by Thomas Sowell that I've read. The name is:"Black Rednecks and White Liberals" I urge any Freepers who obviously have an interest in our current cultural conditions to read Dr. Sowells books.
20 posted on 07/04/2016 1:40:59 PM PDT by gigster (Cogito, Ergo, Ronaldus Magnus Conservatus)
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