Posted on 07/04/2021 6:14:10 AM PDT by nathanbedford
DAD, WHAT's UNABHÄNGIGKEITSTAG?
"Is that when the thirteen colonies broke away from England?" My ten year inquired out of nowhere at 6 AM German time this morning. "Yeah, why do you want to know, eat your breakfast," I mumbled, too sleepy to be very curious. "Because I am afraid my teacher will ask me, since I am wearing this T-shirt and I'm the only American in the class." With an effort, I adjusted my gaze upward to his white T-shirt. It was brand new. Prominent on his breast was an image of the flag and below that:
OLD NAVY
FREEDOM 2005 TRADITION
Waking up now, I reflected that if the Old Navy company could so shamelessly trade on the image of the flag, it ought in decency at least amend the line below to:
FREEDOM 2005 COMMERCE
But then I thought, what could be more traditional in America than commercializing the flag?
"Waddayamean, you're the only American in class, what's that got to do with the Fourth of July?" My paternal antennae were also coming to life. I remembered that the kids had sometimes returned from Gymnasium, German high school, and recited seemingly off-hand remarks from professors disparaging America and especially George Bush. Some of the hearsay reports had been pretty rough, describing America as killing Iraqis or causing global warming and the like.
"I think he will call on me to explain the Declaration of Independence to the whole class," masking his apprehension. "So, what will you tell them?"
"That is how we got free of England," he replied, in German. "That's right, as far as it goes. Never mind breakfast, lets get to the computer, it time to search Free Republic." A few minutes later we had a copy of the declaration printed out, with the font changed to italics for psuedo verisimilitude to the venerable document.
"There is actually a couple of ideas in here that are more important than announcing our break with England," I said, highlighting with a yellow marker this passage:
that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights
And this passage too:
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed
"This means that who you are, what rights you have, come directly from God and not from the government. In fact, the government is there to serve you, as a child of God, not the other way around, and when the government takes away your rights, the government is not legitimate, and you can change it."
"What's legitimate?" Ah, " berechtigt," I answered. I must have gotten it right for he seemed satisfied with the translation and his Deutsch is better than mine. Handing him the printout, I said, "take this with you, read it on the bus, and when you get to class you tell them these ideas are America's gift to the world. A lot of people in Europe think your rights come from the government, not the other way around. No one had ever done this 'for real' before. Look what it says here just before where they signed it, it means they knew they were risking their lives:"
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor
"OK, dad, see ya."
An hour later, his mother asked me, "Did you give him a printout of the Declaration of Independence?" "Yup," I proudly responded.
She laughed, "He said, 'Dad really expects me to read this on the school bus'"
What a great and powerful way to educate whoever heard the words spoken by your son. And to be able to live among a people who in many ways still embrace government obedience you still have a convincing voice. Nice going. Keep sharing!
Happy Independence Day
*It -— not I, dangit!
Excellent!
Note “consent of the governed”: government exists because the people deign to allow governance in lieu of full individual exercise of rights.
Consent can be withdrawn, as is the point of the document.
It is that people have a right to independence. People have turned it into a statement on slavery, but it is not, nor was it ever intended to be, a statement about slavery. It is a statement about a God given right to have independence.
If you mean "not brainwashed" then you are correct.
Consent can be withdrawn, as is the point of the document.
This is the only thing the document says. When people focus on the "all men are created equal" thing, they are ignoring the primary thesis of the document.
“...the primary message of the Declaration of Independence?
It is that people have a right to independence.”
Agreed.
“People have turned it into a statement on slavery...”
Are slaves people? Do slaves have a right to independence.
How does “right to be independent” not include, or not be the the same as, the right not to be a slave?
Of course they do, but is the Declaration of Independence a message about slaves? No it is not. It had absolutely no intention of speaking about slavery, but everyone has twisted it into a discussion about slavery.
The intended meaning of "all men are created equal" spoke to the class distinctions in the British aristocracy where lords and peasants had differing rights, and it had no intention to speak on the issue of slavery though people have warped it into meaning that.
Turning it into a commentary on slavery is dishonest for that was not the intended understanding of the men who signed it nor the intended meaning of the country who sent it to King George III.
“Turning it into a commentary on slavery is dishonest”
I don’t know who you think ever said that.
Wake up. Everybody says that. Virtually every reference you will ever find to "all men are created equal" will be in the context of slavery. Virtually no one speaks of it regarding the actual intent of the Declaration, which is to justify why 13 states wanted to separate from England.
People are constantly conflating the Declaration with anti-slavery, and this is just wrong historically.
“Why do we let these so-called democrats call this a democracy when it is NOT?”
Good question...easy answer, for me, is that “democrat,” the party name, has the root word “democracy,” This give those lying bastards a “legitimacy,” as if they are good because their party is named so, not by their actions.
I know many people in that “Party,” who don’t know or care about what their party does. It is just important that they are elected, “democratically.”
They are pure HORSE GUANO! (and I know Guano)
On July 3, 1776, John Adams wrote to his wife about how the Continental Congress had voted for independence the previous day, and predicted that July 2 would be celebrated henceforth as Independence Day.
thanks, nathanbedford. one of many great posters on this forum over the years. i’ve always enjoyed your posts.
UNABHÄNGIGKEITSTAG is when you wake up and put you underwear on backwards and don’t notice until you have to pee................You are In Depends Today...............
A part of my July 4th celebration is looking forward to your annual post.
Gave both my son and daughter copies of the The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States when they started in the 6th grade, that was a very long time ago.
Just hope they are still reading them.
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/23747/23747-h/23747-h.htm
The Project Gutenberg eBook, Destruction and Reconstruction:, by Richard Taylor
The above personal account is by Zachary Taylor's son, Richard Taylor; present at the beginning and end of the War, and who was well aware of the politics which led to it, much like today - in fact.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.