Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 04 July 2014 celebrated in America as Independence Day

the fireworks, the official ones, are about to begin.  We aren't going off to see them.  We may, perhaps, be able to view some of the higher-flying ones from  our yard.  But we have been "enjoying" the free-enterprise ones all day, and some of our neighbors are quite involved in providing a show.  We fondly hope that no one gets injured.  And we also hope that no one gets hurt in the Drunk Driving Olympics Tournament.  This being one of those 3-day weekends, some people have been preparing for that for days, and some may be just a bit over-trained. 
We went off this afternoon, Dear Wife and I, to visit some of her friends long missed.    Then got back in car and went off to another such gathering.  Friends of hers from back in her school days.  One is in bad shape, advanced bladder cancer with a poor prognosis.  She enjoyed it.  We left when they started the preparations for a night of heavy alcohol abuse.  That sort of thing is very much a part of the culture of this area.  It may account for some of the area's problems, but it is nonetheless a fiercely defended part of the area's cultural heritage.  If you can call it that.  So we spoke of other duties and took off.
For my friends around the country who are involved in the automotive industry, this whole week is traditionally a period with no production going.  That doesn't mean everyone is off, it means that the maintenance and Plant Engineering people work around the clock, largely, taking advantage of the down time to do major projects and also to do some preps for the start of production for the new model year which will be taking place in about a month or so.  The 2015 models will start production, normally, in late August or so. 
And this is also a time to reflect upon the state of our nation and of our world.  Wars and rumors of war.  Famine, pestilence, and death.  Trouble on all sides and it appears to be getting worse, and that quickly.  But I have read the back of the Book, and I know Who is over it all.

------------------------------------==========================

The Old Testament reading is chapters 29 and 30 of the book of Job.  Job is still trying to understand what has happened to him.  The matter defies simplistic analysis, and his friends have been little help.  At best.

Job 29

1	Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
2	Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
3	When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;
4	As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;
5	When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;
6	When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
7	When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
8	The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
9	The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10	The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11	When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
12	Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
13	The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14	I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
15	I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
16	I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
17	And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
18	Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19	My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
20	My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21	Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
22	After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
23	And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24	If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25	I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

Job 30

1	But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
2	Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?
3	For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
4	Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.
5	They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)
6	To dwell in the cliffs of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.
7	Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.
8	They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.
9	And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.
10	They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.
11	Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.
12	Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.
13	They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.
14	They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me.
15	Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.
16	And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
17	My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.
18	By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
19	He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
20	I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.
21	Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.
22	Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance.
23	For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
24	Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.
25	Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?
26	When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.
27	My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.
28	I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.
29	I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
30	My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.
31	My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.

=================================

The New Testament reading is chapter 12 of the book of the Acts.
Herod is trying to "manage" the situation, the challenge that the very existence of these believers, is posing for him.  More martyrs.  Doesn't turn out well for him personally, and the faith grows.  The accusation that the believers are turning the world upside down is in fact quite correct.  We're still supposed to be doing that, I think, but I see little sign of that in our world. 

Acts 12

1	Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
2	And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
3	And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
4	And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
5	Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
6	And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
7	And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
8	And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
9	And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
10	When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
11	And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the LORD hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
12	And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
13	And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
14	And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.
15	And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
16	But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
17	But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
18	Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
19	And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
20	And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.
21	And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
22	And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
23	And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
24	But the word of God grew and multiplied.
25	And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- 28 June 2012

I had hoped to be more upbeat today.  That is difficult to attain, on a day that a part of your country died.  I am, of course, referring to the SCOTUS decision on Obamacare.  I find it a challenge to maintain a good attitude when referring to the whole thing.  I expect mendacity on the part of Obumble.  I expect the most vile sort of treachery from the national level (and, generally, the lower level as well) dogs of the Democrap Party.  I had, wrongly, expected more from SCOTUS.  I guess any bunch that includes crapheads foisted off on us by Obumble and Clinton, the Rapist-in-Chief, should be expected to evidence a studied indifference to the the Constitution.  We had hoped for better.  We were wrong.
"Put not thy faith in princes" is a good policy.
What happens next is anyone's guess. 
This will not turn out well.
The representative federal republic we received from our ancestors is no more.  What will replace it I do not know.  But it's gone now.  Pity.

This coming Sunday, July 1 2012, has been designated as a day of prayer.  Be a good day to do just that.  And yes, there are no bad days for it, but special observances are not a bad thing.   "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and seek My face and pray ..."  is a worthy admonition.  Time to get serious about that.

====

The Old Testament reading for the day is chapters 13, 14, and 15 of Job.  I don't see here any expectation by Job of some government agency to help him.  Nor should we.

Job 13

1	Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
2	What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
3	Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
4	But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
5	O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
6	Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
7	Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
8	Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
9	Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
10	He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
11	Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
12	Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
13	Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
14	Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
15	Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
16	He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
17	Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
18	Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
19	Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
20	Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
21	Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
22	Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
23	How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
24	Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
25	Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
26	For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
27	Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.
28	And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

Job 14

1	Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.
2	He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3	And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
4	Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5	Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6	Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
7	For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8	Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9	Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10	But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
11	As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
12	So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
13	O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14	If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
15	Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
16	For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
17	My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
18	And surely the mountains falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.
19	The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
20	Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21	His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
22	But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.

Job 15

1	Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
2	Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
3	Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
4	Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
5	For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
6	Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
7	Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?
8	Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
9	What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?
10	With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
11	Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
12	Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
13	That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
14	What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15	Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
16	How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
17	I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
18	Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:
19	Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
20	The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
21	A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
22	He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
23	He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24	Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
25	For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
26	He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:
27	Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
28	And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
29	He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
30	He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
31	Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
32	It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
33	He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
34	For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
35	They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.

This evening, verses 26-40 of Acts 8.  Word is getting around to all the corners of the earth.

Acts 8:26-40

26	And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27	And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28	Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29	Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30	And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31	And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32	The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33	In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34	And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35	Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36	And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37	And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38	And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
39	And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
40	But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

Is ACORN Intenionally Stuctured As A Criminal Enterprise?

A fair question, actually. One you probably won't find addressed by the LameStreamMedia. Or, given the pack of knaves in power, one addressed by the FBI or any US Attorney.
But there remain the citizens of this once-free nation.


Go here and read. Weep. Get angry. But be informed.

New Sidebar Link New American Tea Party

A bit of a small announcement. We've added a new sidebar link, the New American Tea Party.

For any who have been in a coma or otherwise incommunicado, the recent actions of Obamarama and his fellow socialists in D.C., the citizens of this country have started to recall some of the events that got the FIRST American Revolution underway. Since the Democraps have started to assume the attitude and policies similar to those of King George and the Tories, the response is similar to the 'Boston Tea Party'. You may just be fortunate enough to have one near you. If not, organize one.

Armistice Day / Veteran's Day 11 November 2008

90 years ago, World War 1 ended with an armistice. The ''war to end all wars'' was over. We see how well that went. Been no wars, conflicts, etc. ever since then, right? Well, not exactly.
We need to honor those who gave their all for their country. The poem of ''Flanders Fields'' was once memorized by all school kids. No more, of course. Not politically correct. Not quite what the elites of the coasts want to be part of the national culture, not in keeping with the New World Order.
I have my doubts as to the wisdom of our involvement in WW1. I have only disgust with the heritage of Woodrow Wilson (spit, spit). But the courage, devotion, and honor of those who served there should never be forgotten.

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Something to think about

You won't like the title of this article. I didn't. But read it anyway.

Yes We Will (Have A Depression)

Independence Day

It is hard to improve on the original, and I won't even try. This is what started it all.
--------------------

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which 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 to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

— John Hancock

New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

-------------------------

Would you go that high? Would you pledge your life, your fortune, your sacred honor to a belief like this? Before you answer, consider that the tax burden under King George was smaller by far than the one we bear today -- taxation with representation isn't always that great. Consider that George and company didn't compile 43,212 pages of regulations dealing with commerce related to cabbage, intrude on the design of toilets, arrangement of parking lots, design of light fixtures, or any of a million other intrusions into the life of so-called free citizens. The encounters at Lexington and Concord were attempts to seize the firearms of these citizens, a move that was repulsed then but has succeeded in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, the District of Columbia, and has recently and only narrowly been averted nationwide despite clear language forbidding such activities.
After all these years, we celebrate the day and ignore the meaning. This is not progress as I measure things.