Independence Day...

July 4th woohooooo. I worked today, how about you? Anyhoo.

 July 4th is commonly known as Independence Day for the USA because it is more or less the date when the majority of the members of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence that called for an official break with the motherland of England . I wanted to make this about black independence because that's an interesting story, but as I'm writing this I can't resist throwing in a few lines from the Declaration instead.

Please note that while the wording of the declaration is beautiful, the account was really quite an exaggeration in most counts. People on the American continent basically wanted the protection of the mother country without having to pay the taxes. They were the least taxed of all British subjects and had cost the empire millions but were indignant enough to think they didn't owe any return. Whatever...

             That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. 


Happy Independence Day.