WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2024, SEPARATE OR REMAIN LOYAL TO ENGLAND

 WEDNESDAY, JULY 3RD, 2024 - DISSOLVING THE BAND

From the opening paragraph of the Declaration of Independence:

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands that have connected them with another and to assume, among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect for mankind's opinions requires that they declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Wow - dissolving the political bands.  

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In many ways, declaring the thirteen colonies independent was like divorce. As this (long) sentence continues, "connected them with another"; "separate and equal station." 

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The colonists were English citizens. George Washington was born in America, but his parents were from England. For many Americans, they were English citizens not entirely living in exile. (Mathematical note - George Washington was born in 1732. The decimal value 1.732 is the three-digit equivalent of the square root of three.)

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Now, I view the colonies as teenage boys (I picked boys as generally more aggressive). They wanted to try things and flex their muscles. Meanwhile, "Dad" (aka England - and King George III) was busy at home and didn't want to take time to "play catch" or even to sit down and have a conversation with his American "sons". .  

England had raised taxes (Stamp Tax, Tea Tax, and more). And yet, nobody in England (least of all King George III) paid much attention to the complaints. Maybe like a teenage boy - wanting to drive a car (or wanting a car), being allowed to stay out late, or trying alcohol or dating, The Americans did more things to attract attention. For example, they threw all the tea overboard in Boston Harbor. Now, that was a prank, but the tea merchants were upset. Hey - that was a lot of tea and revenue for us - and hey, King George - we lost our shirts." So, let's send a group of soldiers to Boston to ensure they don't do it again.

And, maybe like the Kent State Massacre of the Vietnam era, the soldiers killed some Americans who were rioting (the Boston Massacre).  s, the Boston crowd was unruly and throwing rocks at the British.  These days, the soldiers might use tear gas or rubber bullets - but the soldiers were to restore peace.

So, the British soldiers went to find the instigators - and Paul Revere (who seemingly got more of the glory than the other riders) arranged to fight the Brits.  

Everything escalated.

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But most Americans just wanted to go on with their lives—let me plant and raise my crops (especially tobacco, which the British liked)—or keep making dishes (or silver items, as Paul Revere did).  

I'm guessing) there are people on both sides - separate - or stay with British control. Within families - one adult child might say, "Sure, we've had some problems with King George - but become separate - no way." Another sibling might say -" It's about time - it is a minimum of two months when we send a request to London, and we get an answer.".

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I imagine the same situation arose in the American Civil War - one person might say, 'Slavery is wrong', and another say, 'We couldn't survive on our farm (plantation) without slaves'.

Like many issues, there are at least two sides - maybe it is Republican and Democrat or men and women. I just read an article that said all the Republican female state senators in North Carolina lost in primaries based on the abortion and LGBTQ position.  

Why do we end up in armed conflict when we can't agree? Could the colonies become more independent but remain in the British Commonwealth (which didn't exist then)? The armed conflict included hiring mercenaries (German soldiers) to fight for Great Britain.  

In life, there are winners and losers.  y viewpoints lost out - do I protest, or move to Canada?  had friends who moved to Canada during the Vietnam War.  Another friend said, "I can't sanction warfare and was jailed as a conscious objector."

And (as a senior Christian who tries to live in love), why should I think that Oklahoma shouldn't post the Ten Commandments and require Bible Study in public schools.  s the majority trying to ride roughshod over the minority

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So, as we approach Independence Day 2024, are we any better than the colonies?

I'm thinking of the protest chant from the 60s - "All we are saying is give peace a chance".

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, July 3rd, 2024