Thursday, July 03, 2003
Let Freedom Ring
So . . . it's just about the Fourth of July, huh? It's hard being a liberal around this time. Some thinkers latch onto the Founding Fathers, and have great quotes about the meaning of freedom, and all that. Which is nice. They are some damn fine quotes, after all! But, uh . . .
The Founding Fathers weren't particularly fantastic role-models. That whole American Revolution thing? It was all about the benjamins. Those wonderfully phrased pieces of patriotic writing weren't a small group of heroes proclaiming a new world. They were more along the lines of Americans these days ranting and raving about government freedom when it affects their gas prices. These guys just happened to be well-trained in rhetoric.
In other words, if you want me, I'll be in my room. . . all weekend, probably. Sigh.
Dammit.
So . . . it's just about the Fourth of July, huh? It's hard being a liberal around this time. Some thinkers latch onto the Founding Fathers, and have great quotes about the meaning of freedom, and all that. Which is nice. They are some damn fine quotes, after all! But, uh . . .
The Founding Fathers weren't particularly fantastic role-models. That whole American Revolution thing? It was all about the benjamins. Those wonderfully phrased pieces of patriotic writing weren't a small group of heroes proclaiming a new world. They were more along the lines of Americans these days ranting and raving about government freedom when it affects their gas prices. These guys just happened to be well-trained in rhetoric.
In other words, if you want me, I'll be in my room. . . all weekend, probably. Sigh.
Dammit.