Independence Day 2015 · 7:26pm Jul 4th, 2015
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863
Maybe the United States does stumble and trip over our feet. We've had plenty of sins on our conscience, plenty of mistakes. Terrible losses, and history may yet see that it was a vain experiment. To give man the chance for freedom and to trust the common person could have the wisdom to dictate his or her nation's destiny.
Maybe it was all in vain... But while we have the chance, let us try to make it work. Let us make the ideals written down into reality, without needing a massive civil war and thousands dead to make those words true. Let us ignore politicians and the powerful who would twist the words and ignore the wisdom for their own ambition, or the belief that men cannot be trusted with their freedom. Let us fight that ignorance and push past the boundaries between us.
I do not care if you are of African, Indian, European, Asian, Native American, Hispanic or any other descent. If you read the words and know in your heart that, even if they were written by white rich men who were largely slaveholders long ago, they were meant for all people who were willing to fight for it... Then you're American. Period.
Happy Independence Day.
Great sentiments, Andrew. I agree. Happy Independence Day to ALL Americans!
The only thing we can agree on is fuck the British, with the exception of everyone in charge of Doctor Who.
3206546
They don't work on Doctor Who, so they are part of the rest of the British population who can go fuck themselves.
Didn't I give you a hat for this?
3208670 You did. I just like the sombrero more.