Replies

So... when going to see the Liberty Bell, instead of being happy and proud of my country, which did so much to create a place where human freedom could flourish... I will be confronted with this guilt-provoking claptrap. Washington is no more to be blamed for having slaves in his day and age as he is to be blamed for not having proper refrigeration equipment. "Freedom" was a new concept -- it was just being explored and invented -- and Washington was helping invent it. He was a creature of his age -- as we all are. Someday, people in the future will be just as appalled at some aspect of our lives as we are of this aspect of our ancestors' -- and it won't be what we expect! I am sick of this 'hate-America' stuff. It is killing us.

He may not have washed his hands after going to the privy either, since the notion of proper hygiene was still developing. How could the father of our country shake hands with people after performing an unclean but necessary everyday activity? < /sarcasm >

If this seems off topic, that is actually one of the things that I was shown on my historical tour of Philly: Ben Frankin's privy. Some things are a bit too public and too much information. And just think, part of this latest $12million are probably federal funds so we are all paying for it...