Happy July 4 - The Most (Maybe) Hypocritical American Holiday
Would Thomas Jefferson celebrate the 4th of July the same way that most Americans will tomorrow? I think not - and here is why:
We tend to look at things one of two ways; we are either proud of what we create, or we are thankful for that which was created. I believe that our founding fathers desired not to create something that would exist for hundreds of years, but to create something that would continuously be created, owned, and progressed. It has been a long time since we have owned this country the way that I believe was intended in the beginning.
Let me explain - In the late 1770s, the idea was pretty common throughout that the government was established in order to protect those God-given rights that were most vulnerable in the face of tyranny - either by government or by neighbor. That was pretty much the extent of it. Then you have Alexander Hamilton purpose that the government begin a central banking system and the ball starts rolling down the hill, allowing government to continually grow and become eerily more like the English lands recently abandoned and less like the ideas of a free society that led to the Revolution.
If you imagine the founding fathers taking a time machine and warping to July 4, 2017 - - I can only imagine what they would say. Based on the fiasco created by the "lawful" taxation of tea, I wouldn't think they would see much of their "America" in closed boarders, income/sales/and property taxes, trillions of dollars in debt, and women being able to vote. I throw the last one in there because it is important to note that we have made some fantastic (and necessary) improvements upon the philosophies that founded this nation - but that doesn't take away from the fact that in a large part, the percentage of citizens involved, or even aware, of the decisions that are being made with our freedom and our money is oddly small.
One of the biggest failures that the Founding Fathers would notice, is that we have done such a disservice in teaching each other how the system works, where we now have daily riots and violent opposition breaking out in streets, resembling a 3rd world dictatorship rather than a country founded on democratic principles. Do these people know that their voice can be heard and their opinions implemented if they use dialogue to convince others rather than oppression? Perhaps they do, perhaps they have tried and see their failure as a failure of the system?
Reading pamphlets, books, and articles published in the late 1700s, my mind is blown by how often they use logic and rational thinking to submit their position. This then leads to an informed, intelligently backed electorate that - regardless of which side of the argument they fall - they understand what they think, why they think it, and how it will potentially impact society. We must return to intelligent dialogue devoid of baseless opinion if we intend to progress positively as a nation.
Either way - - as the air bombs are bursting this season, I encourage you to spend some time researching history. Before that tear rolls down your cheek and that patriotism swells in your gut - be honest enough to consider whether what you now fight for resembles anything close to that which this country was founded. Perhaps a different flag would better resemble your ideas of a good government. Perhaps you disagree with Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Paine, and James Madison.
Happy 4th.
We tend to look at things one of two ways; we are either proud of what we create, or we are thankful for that which was created. I believe that our founding fathers desired not to create something that would exist for hundreds of years, but to create something that would continuously be created, owned, and progressed. It has been a long time since we have owned this country the way that I believe was intended in the beginning.
Let me explain - In the late 1770s, the idea was pretty common throughout that the government was established in order to protect those God-given rights that were most vulnerable in the face of tyranny - either by government or by neighbor. That was pretty much the extent of it. Then you have Alexander Hamilton purpose that the government begin a central banking system and the ball starts rolling down the hill, allowing government to continually grow and become eerily more like the English lands recently abandoned and less like the ideas of a free society that led to the Revolution.
If you imagine the founding fathers taking a time machine and warping to July 4, 2017 - - I can only imagine what they would say. Based on the fiasco created by the "lawful" taxation of tea, I wouldn't think they would see much of their "America" in closed boarders, income/sales/and property taxes, trillions of dollars in debt, and women being able to vote. I throw the last one in there because it is important to note that we have made some fantastic (and necessary) improvements upon the philosophies that founded this nation - but that doesn't take away from the fact that in a large part, the percentage of citizens involved, or even aware, of the decisions that are being made with our freedom and our money is oddly small.
One of the biggest failures that the Founding Fathers would notice, is that we have done such a disservice in teaching each other how the system works, where we now have daily riots and violent opposition breaking out in streets, resembling a 3rd world dictatorship rather than a country founded on democratic principles. Do these people know that their voice can be heard and their opinions implemented if they use dialogue to convince others rather than oppression? Perhaps they do, perhaps they have tried and see their failure as a failure of the system?
Reading pamphlets, books, and articles published in the late 1700s, my mind is blown by how often they use logic and rational thinking to submit their position. This then leads to an informed, intelligently backed electorate that - regardless of which side of the argument they fall - they understand what they think, why they think it, and how it will potentially impact society. We must return to intelligent dialogue devoid of baseless opinion if we intend to progress positively as a nation.
Either way - - as the air bombs are bursting this season, I encourage you to spend some time researching history. Before that tear rolls down your cheek and that patriotism swells in your gut - be honest enough to consider whether what you now fight for resembles anything close to that which this country was founded. Perhaps a different flag would better resemble your ideas of a good government. Perhaps you disagree with Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Paine, and James Madison.
Happy 4th.
Yes I do disagree with Alexander Hamilton. I'm on board with all of the rest though.
ReplyDelete“Banks have done more injury to the religion, morality, tranquility, prosperity, and even wealth of the nation than they can have done or ever will do good.” – John Adams