Wednesday, July 3, 2013

The 4th

It is just passed midnight so it is officially the 4th.  Seems all the world is asleep except me and it's probably a
good thing I don't have any fireworks.  I would probably go outside and set 'em off.  When people began rushing up in their pajamas and my phone began ringing, I guess I could just shrug and like Geraldine and say, "the devil made me do it!"

Oops, that's more looney bin ammo so I should scratch that idea for any future events.  Still, it would be fun.

Instead of shooting off fireworks, I've decided to think about why we went to war.  We learned in school it was because the British had done this or that.  This is just silly and I no longer believe a word of it.  Men don't go to war over tea or taxes or even tobacco and heaven knows - unfortunately - I love that stuff.  For many years men here had lived in little towns far away from government control.  They had lived in the wilderness where government control was essentially not possible.  Our forefathers had gotten a taste of freedom and it tasted good.  Real good!

They began to dream and men with eloquent words gave voice to those dreams.  A movement began that was so powerful men freely entered into a life and death struggle against a force they could not possibly hope to defeat.  But they hoped anyway because this freedom, this idea to live as they pleased, was to die for!

So tonight and tomorrow I don't need fireworks to celebrate the 4th.  I will silently think about all those men and women, heroes and heroines, who took up arms or supported those who did and gave us a legacy that eventually spread throughout the world.

Happy 4th to all of you!

12 comments:

Should Fish More said...

And to you the same, David.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

You are one of those men of eloquent words, David. This is beautiful. You said it exceptionally well.

Happy 4th!
xoRobyn

The Crow said...

Thought-provoking piece, David. Happy Fourth of July to you, as well.

Andrew Leon said...

I don't think it was exactly about taxes, either. It was about representation and someone else making decisions without consulting the people affected. But the only people that cared about that was the "American aristocracy." That's how it had always been for everyone else. When it comes down to it the American Revolution was a rich, white man's war. To put it in today's terms. And, now, I'm sounding cynical, but, really, I was just about the most patriotic kid ever.

David Oliver said...

Thanks Mike.

David Oliver said...

Aww Robyn, you will make my head swell up! Thank you.

David Oliver said...

I would agree with you if we were talking about the civil war. There the rich, white men had a way of life to lose. But the Revolutionary war was different. It seems to me the "taxation without representation" was just a slogan for a much deeper sentiment.

David Oliver said...

Thanks Martha. It is easy and obvious to see the small events leading up to a big event. Often enough the small events are just a symptom of what's really going on. I was thinking along these lines...

Should Fish More said...

Probably shouldn't intrude here, but......

Yeah, the revolutionary war was about representation, and only slightly less, the two were connected: taxes.
The revolution was more about the merchant and middle/upper class taking umbrage about representation: look at the demographics of the loyalists.....they were rural, and the British had afforded them some degree of protection.

And the Civil War was about slavery. The economic factors around slavery played a part, yes. But it was the issue of slavery as a basic wrong that rallied the north, and helped them through some defeats to eventually win.

David Oliver said...

You are not intruding! I like discussion very much and blogger has allowed us to do this with the way commentary is setup.

I would be cynical about the reason for the Revolutionary war had it not resulted in our Constitution. I think that is proof there was more reason for the war than just the common people being manipulated.

Of course you are right as far as the North was concerned about the Civil War. But there was no reason for common folks in the South to fight. They didn't own slaves. They were simply ignorant and the victim of a cultural belief brought about because plantation owners wanted cheap labor for their fields.

Carol Kilgore said...

Beautiful post, David. Hope your Independence Day was wonderful.

David Oliver said...

Thanks Carol!
The whole week has been wonderful! Both my sons and families have been home.

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