Another July 4th holiday is coming up. No doubt there will be plenty of stirring music, flag waving, parades, fireworks and BBQ. After all, it's America's birthday!
Isn't that what we've been told all of our lives?
Heroic men stood up to the oppression of King George and threw off imperialistic tyranny to begin a new nation where people could be free. How wonderful!
But before you celebrate again this year, I'd like for you to consider a few things as a good American.
What we're really celebrating is a bloody secession from British rule, right?
Yet, the majority of Americans ready to light those sparklers think modern-day secessionists, who have far more legitimate reasons to secede from a corrupt government than their predecessors, are kooks.
Americans are quick to point to the courage of our founding fathers, without taking a closer look as to how these men stood for liberty before loading their muskets: they were smugglers, tax evaders, draft resisters (particularly during the French and Indian War), and overall rabble-rousers.
Americans are quick to point to the courage of our founding fathers, without taking a closer look as to how these men stood for liberty before loading their muskets: they were smugglers, tax evaders, draft resisters (particularly during the French and Indian War), and overall rabble-rousers.
Indeed, if most of today's flag-waving patriots were transported back to colonial America, they would be hard pressed to find a comfortable, lukewarm pew. Back then, folks who spoke of discontent with government rule lived out their convictions by actively resisting it.
John Hancock, a successful businessman, preferred to smuggle goods into port rather than pay taxes to his government. What taxes he did owe, he refused to pay. His signature is the first and largest on the Declaration of Independence. When asked why, Hancock replied that he didn't want the King of England having any trouble reading his name!
Americans later became so enamored with his boldness that a uniquely American tradition bearing his name sprang up: when we ask people to sign a document, we say "Put your John Hancock here"!
Americans later became so enamored with his boldness that a uniquely American tradition bearing his name sprang up: when we ask people to sign a document, we say "Put your John Hancock here"!
However, despite our 4th of July fervor, we are prone, as all other nations, to laud past patriots and ridicule living ones.
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