Independence Day, July 4th, 1776

The Fourth of July has just passed; the day we celebrate our independence from Great Britain and I meant to write something sooner for the holiday but I have been busy with another project.

The meaning of this celebration has all but become lost to many people in our nation who either are not well educated or don’t really care anymore. We have come to equate July 4th with vacation from work, fireworks, barbaque and beer and going to the beach. After all it has been two hundred thirty eight years since that five year long struggle for independence took place. In our modern comfortable lives we don't seem to care to remember anymore.

The Bill of Rights was the first document written in 1764 defining a list of limits on government containing ten amendments. All ten amendments listed in the Bill of Rights were attached to the Constitution written in 1788, ratified in 1789 and put into operation in 1790. Eleven more have been added and ratified down through the years.

The Declaration of Independence was written on July 2nd, 1776. It began when Richard Henry Lee brought a resolution before Continental Congress on June 2nd 1776 which became known as the Lee Resolution. This resolution stated “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states…” Congress debated for four days and a committee of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert R. Livingston and Thomas Jefferson gave the task of writing the Declaration to Thomas Jefferson.

John Adams wrote his wife Abigail on July 3rd: "The second day of July 1776 will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I believe it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It aught to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illumination from one end of this continent to the other."

The Declaration of Independence, though written on July 2nd, was not ratified until July 4th. The fifty six men who signed the declaration, as the last eight words on the declaration said: “we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.” These were men of wealth, plantation owners, business men and merchants; they had much to lose however they pledged it all. King George III had denounced all rebels in America as traitors. The punishment for traitors was hanging.

If the revolution was lost they were risking all they had including their lives. If they won, they faced the long hardship of building a new nation, rebuilding all that was destroyed in the many battles. During the five years of the revolution many of them lost their fortunes, their families and their lives in the ensuing battles. 

At the start of the Revolution, America had a population of 3.5 million. The enrolled soldiers numbered 200,000, only 5.7 per cent of the population. The total combat casualties (killed and wounded): 10,263 Deaths (Disease or accident): 18,500. Total (Hessian) Combat Deaths: 1,200. Unlike modern warfare, there was no estimated cost of rebuilding towns and homes destroyed by the combat.

I could find no official British Combat Casualties but unofficially there were approximately 13,617. That is the cost in lives for freedom and justice for all in 1776. The war lasted five years and was fought from upstate New York to Savannah, Georgia.

The War of 1812, our second revolution is another story for another day.

Turkey or Eagle, That Was The Question

On July 4th, 1776, the Continental Congress appointed a committee made up of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin to select a design for an official national seal. None of the designs suggested were acceptable. Benjamin Franklin said the turkey should be our national symbol because at the time he thought it was only native to the United States. Lady Liberty holding a shield of the 13 colonies was suggested but then rejected. 

The Alaskan Bald Eagle

It was William Barton, a Philadelphia artist who produced a new design that included a golden eagle. The golden eagle was rejected because it flew over England. Then the great bald eagle, which became our national bird was selected and accepted thinking that it was native to North America. It was not until much later they discovered it also is found in Canada and parts of South America.

Benjamin Franklin objected to the bald eagle on the grounds that it was an aggressive bird which would take food from lesser eagles and falcons rather than fend for itself. He was apparently not aware that the great bald eagle is an aggressive hunter which dives down on small rodents and animals on the ground grabbing them in their claws, carrying them to their nests to consume them and share them with their young.

As a patriotic American, I love the beauty of the bald eagle and think that our founding fathers made a great choice for our national symbol. 

I'll Take That as a Compliment

By Ray Rogers

It is very important to come to this country through proper channels. Why you might ask? Because we already have 47% of Americans who don't care about our constitution or our country. We have approximately 40% who do, and approximately 13% who are undecided or so it would seem. This country doesn't need more people who don't care about our constitution. Of course these numbers are a guess based on how the last election played out.

So I'm reading an article by Michelle Malkin and I get to the part where 300 illegal immigrants were protesting outside of the doorstep of Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. They were waving their fists and proclaiming Kobach “king of hate” because of his work with border security activists and border patrol agents. Well he is the "king of hate?" Who's waving their fists and calling names here?

Former Tea Party activist now state representative Amanda Grosseroade was attacked on Facebook with name calling and death threats because she stated that the behavior of the demonstrators was disgusting. Some commented that they should start killing the Nazis referring to politicians, cops, and judges among others. Probably meaning anyone with an opposing view. So who are really the Nazis here?

I'm amazed at the boldness of anyone who comes to a country illegally then are allowed to stay here illegally and make demands on our government to give them amnesty. Our generous government gave them 4 billion dollars in government assistance and continues to give to them. Then they have the courage to protest on Kris Kobach’s front lawn calling him the “King of Hate" because he has the audacity to stand with the border security activists and border patrol agents. People should enter at the authorized border entrances, not over fences or swimming the Rio Grande. There should be border patrols only allowing people in who come here legally. Our visitors should not be allowed to overstay their visas either, but they do.

Where is this courage when it comes to dealing with the government of their home country for rights and freedoms there? Are they truly protesting in order to live in a free republic or to take advantage of what can be gotten for free? Are they such cowards they are afraid to stand up to their own government. 

Our forefathers risked everything…including their own lives to give us this Republic. Are we willing to give our Republic away in the name of Amnesty to anyone who wants to come here rather than fight for their own rights and a Republic of their own?

We are not Nazis. We are not the ones who are threatening anyone with physical harm or death. We are just trying to protect our Republic. Our forefathers fought hard and sacrificed much to give us what we have here in America and we Americans don't want to see it taken away from us. We think of it as something worth fighting to keep. Freedom is very expensive. It cost the lives of many of our patriots. People do not belong here who cannot respect the fact that the price paid by our patriots is what made this country the desirable place that it is.

Looking into the history of immigration the laws were created to curb the loss of jobs and decent wages of American citizens caused by cheep labor of immigrants coming into the workforce. The American public was also concerned about communists, criminals, and other undesirables settling here. So this resulted in the immigration act of 1881. This act was created to protect our constitution, and the rights of its citizens.

We have classes for immigrants to become naturalized citizens that teach them about how our country was created and how it works. Hopefully this will give our new comers a greater appreciation of our country and they will want to protect and defend it as we do. Sadly some immigrants who have taken these classes and have become citizens know more about our country than we do.

We conservatives don't have a problem with immigration. Our nation was built on immigration. Our country is truly a melting pot of people from all over the world. We do, however, have a problem with immigrants coming here illegally because many of them are already showing a total disregard for our laws. I also fear that amnesty will have a very negative impact on our already floundering Economy.

All immigrants are welcome here. All illegals are not. Please: to all of our politicians, don't betray our country in the hopes of making yourselves look good or gain more votes. This country has already been severely damaged by political good intentions. And a saying thought to have originated with Saint Bernard of Clairvaux who wrote in 1150ad. “Hell is full of good wishes and desires.“ An earlier saying also occurs in Virgil’s Aeneid: “It is easy to go to hell.” That seems to be where the expression "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" So think Mr. Politician, don’t use your political ambitions to send our Constitutional Republic to hell.