Posted on 01/17/2021 8:35:32 AM PST by ProgressingAmerica
315 years ago, on January 17th, 1706, Benjamin Franklin came into our world. He would go on to do amazing things, things which it is not my intent to spend another 50000 words re-telling. What I wanted to do instead was invite you and invite everybody to celebrate his life and legacy, and take the time to get to know him a little better on a more personal level. This can be done.
There is a fantastic free open source public domain audiobook of Franklin's autobiography which you can download here, it is well put together and is a great reminder of who we as Americans truely are. Sure, you could read the text of this, that's also freely downloadable online. But there is a distinct power in a human voice as it is heard, a power to which only the audiobook can provide when it comes to a work such as this.
I’m sorry. We weren’t able to keep it.
The First American!
I get a huge kick from Benjamin! Great scholar, diplomat and total man-whore.....
The ladies loved him! :^)
Ben Franklin needs to be erased from our history and replaced with a transgender person of color. /s
Episode 176: 5 Days of Christmas Immortals -- Benjamin Franklin.
It's really worth a listen!
😎
I always said the two people I would most like to meet are Jesus and Ben Franklin. Can you imagine taking Ben for a ride in your car with the radio on or showing him a cellphone?
Sorry. White guy. Real smart and creative. Undermines the 1619 Project. We cannot celebrate this.
And here we have a leftist idiot making a living from impersonating Ben Franklin near Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
https://www.facebook.com/drbenjamin.franklin.5?composeropen=1
Maybe so. But he wasn’t such a big hit when he visited ‘The Office’. Meredith in particular was disappointed.
Sad, isn’t it?
Happy birthday to the horny old goat.
Ben Franklin was our best President in my opinion. He also invented electricity and freedom.
Happy birthday, I guess.
I’m sorry Ben, we couldn’t keep it.
"Sir, there are two passions which have a powerful influence on the affairs of men. These are ambition and avarice; the love of power, and the love of money. Separately each of these has great force in prompting men to action; but when united in view of the same object, they have in many minds the most violent effects. Place before the eyes of such men, a post of honour that shall be at the same time a place of profit, and they will move heaven and earth to obtain it. The vast number of such places it is that renders the British Government so tempestuous. The struggles for them are the true sources of all those factions which are perpetually dividing the Nation, distracting its Councils, hurrying sometimes into fruitless & mischievous wars, and often compelling a submission to dishonorable terms of peace. And of what kind are the men that will strive for this profitable pre- eminence, through all the bustle of cabal, the heat of contention, the infinite mutual abuse of parties, tearing to pieces the best of characters? It will not be the wise and moderate; the lovers of peace and good order, the men fittest for the trust. It will be the bold and the violent, the men of strong passions and indefatigable activity in their selfish pursuits. These will thrust themselves into your Government and be your rulers. -And these too will be mistaken in the expected happiness of their situation: For their vanquished competitors of the same spirit, and from the same motives will perpetually be endeavouring to distress their administration, thwart their measures, and render them odious to the people."
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