Tag: Independence

Someone Please Rescue Our 250th

We are rapidly approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of this country….and to celebrate Donny is making it all about himself and not this great nation.

There has got to be some way to rescue this event from the claws of Donny and his egotistical mind.  A auto race, state fair, BBQ or a UFC match is not the way to commemorate our beginnings.

I was around for the celebration in 1976 and its was the way to celebrate the beginnings of the US of A….it was and will be heads above the silliness the Donny thinks will celebrate our country.

On the 250th anniversary of the United States, some details of the celebrations might seem familiar from the celebrations in 1976 of America’s 200th. People sip from cans decorated with the Liberty Bell and a big round number. Commemorative vehicles drive or fly around with founding documents. Federal dollars and private donations flow toward politicians’ goals. A president directs federal funding toward his pet projects.

A big difference is just how prominent Trump is making himself this time around. It wasn’t always headed this way: Congress created the United States Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016, during the Obama administration. In 2020, Trump created the 1776 Commission—an advisory body committed to propagating whitewashed American history—which Biden disbanded on his first day in office in 2021. Trump reassembled it in 2025, more determined to make the national birthday about him, his followers, and their shared visions of the past. While Richard Nixon sought to leverage bicentennial funds to motivate political support in the 1970s, Trump uses the semiquincentennial moment to promote himself. Trump is even attempting to align a semiquincentennial UFC match with his own 80th birthday.

As historian Marc Stein traces in Bicentennial: A Revolutionary History of the 1970s, a national birthday can launch a much broader, more inclusive, and ambitious national project. Yes, the bicentennial too involved politicians advancing their own aims, and it involved selling things, with a proliferation of commemorative objects. But the events and their backlash also helped promote broader goals. Stein writes of the urban planners who sought to direct bicentennial resources toward remaking cities and revamping tourist destinations. He writes of the contingent of the New Left that hoped to rekindle what they viewed as the radicalism of the founders, and of marginalized communities, who mobilized for a reexamination of American history and for reform in contemporary society. Sometimes these groups disagreed about the past and agreed on the future. Sometimes they disagreed about the future, despite shared ideals of the past.

https://newrepublic.com/article/209315/rescue-america-250th-trump

I will not participate in anything the Donny and his clowns have planned for this point in our history.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Tacky Is As Tacky Does

We are celebrating our 250th year of existence and Uncle Donny has the perfect event that will explain his administration to the nation and the world.

The White House South Lawn is getting a temporary makeover, the BBC reports. Construction is underway on an octagonal wire-mesh UFC cage and temporary arena outside the White House, ahead of a June 14 fight card marking 250 years of American independence that President Trump has billed as UFC’s “biggest event” yet. (June 14 is also Trump’s 80th birthday, the New York Times reports.)

UFC Freedom 250, as the event is called, will feature two title bouts: Brazil’s Alex Pereira vs. France’s Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight belt and Georgia’s Ilia Topuria vs. interim champ Justin Gaethje at lightweight. UFC president Dana White says about 4,300 people—largely military personnel—will watch on the lawn, while as many as 100,000 people will be allowed to watch the fight for free at the nearby White House Ellipse grounds. Ringside, there will be a full marching band providing music, the Guardian reports.

There will be no public ticket sales, though VIP “high roller” special access packages are reportedly being offered to some for $1.5 million. Parent company TKO Group says the UFC won’t profit and is treating the spectacle as a long-term investment. It will be the first professional sporting event staged on White House grounds and comes amid a series of Trump-era renovations, including added gold accents in the Oval Office, a new patio over the former rose garden, a refurbished Lincoln Bedroom bath, and a rebuilt East Wing to accommodate Trump’s new ballroom. The president is also planning an IndyCar street circuit racing event in August that will go past the US Capitol, Washington Monument, and other iconic sites.

How fucking tacky is this?

No public access it is for the making of obscene profits at the expense of this country’s dignity….but how can we be surprised look at who’s is pushing this abortion of an event.

Only an idiot with no sense of honor would consider a gladiator game a rich example of celebrating this country’s independence.

This is a pathetic attempt a from pathetic individual.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Someone Please Rescue Our 250th

We are rapidly approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of this country….and to celebrate Donny is making it all about himself and not this great nation.

There has got to be some way to rescue this event from the claws of Donny and his egotistical mind.  A auto race, state fair, BBQ or a UFC match is not the way to commemorate our beginnings.

I was around for the celebration in 1976 and its was the way to celebrate the beginnings of the US of A….it was and will be heads above the silliness the Donny thinks will celebrate our country.

On the 250th anniversary of the United States, some details of the celebrations might seem familiar from the celebrations in 1976 of America’s 200th. People sip from cans decorated with the Liberty Bell and a big round number. Commemorative vehicles drive or fly around with founding documents. Federal dollars and private donations flow toward politicians’ goals. A president directs federal funding toward his pet projects.

A big difference is just how prominent Trump is making himself this time around. It wasn’t always headed this way: Congress created the United States Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016, during the Obama administration. In 2020, Trump created the 1776 Commission—an advisory body committed to propagating whitewashed American history—which Biden disbanded on his first day in office in 2021. Trump reassembled it in 2025, more determined to make the national birthday about him, his followers, and their shared visions of the past. While Richard Nixon sought to leverage bicentennial funds to motivate political support in the 1970s, Trump uses the semiquincentennial moment to promote himself. Trump is even attempting to align a semiquincentennial UFC match with his own 80th birthday.

As historian Marc Stein traces in Bicentennial: A Revolutionary History of the 1970s, a national birthday can launch a much broader, more inclusive, and ambitious national project. Yes, the bicentennial too involved politicians advancing their own aims, and it involved selling things, with a proliferation of commemorative objects. But the events and their backlash also helped promote broader goals. Stein writes of the urban planners who sought to direct bicentennial resources toward remaking cities and revamping tourist destinations. He writes of the contingent of the New Left that hoped to rekindle what they viewed as the radicalism of the founders, and of marginalized communities, who mobilized for a reexamination of American history and for reform in contemporary society. Sometimes these groups disagreed about the past and agreed on the future. Sometimes they disagreed about the future, despite shared ideals of the past.

https://newrepublic.com/article/209315/rescue-america-250th-trump

I will not participate in anything the Donny and his clowns have planned for this point in our history.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Celebrate 250 Years

The Hill has put together a list of the events that will be celebrating our 250th birthday….I include them here on IST in case anyone wants to join in the celebration….

All this begins tomorrow….

May 7 – Alexander Hamilton Monument Rededication

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will host a rededication ceremony for the Alexander Hamilton Monument, which has undergone a restoration process.

The bronze statue was first dedicated in May 1923 and installed outside of the U.S. Treasury Building, right around the corner from the White House.

“Fittingly, the White House has been loaned a portrait of former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton and the ‘sea letter’ signed by both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in honor of America’s 250th birthday,” an event bio on the organizing committee’s website said.

Sea letters were required national identification documents for ships in the 18th and 19th centuries. The 1794 document signed by Washington and Jefferson authorized the travel of a vessel involved in the slave trade from New York to Trinidad, according to the Library of Congress.

May 17 – Rededicate 250  (of course that fake christian had to inject his brand of bullshit into this celebration)

America’s 250th planning committee is hosting a prayer event on the National Mall, featuring a speech from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Hegseth is outspoken about his Christian faith, and he recently faced controversy after he drew a comparison between the media and a Bible passage.

“Join Americans from every state to give thanks for 250 years, pray for the future, and rededicate our nation as One Nation under God,” the committee said in an event flyer shared on social media.

Other speakers include former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson and President Trump-aligned Catholic Bishop Robert Barron. In addition to these speeches, the event will feature religious songs and storytelling.

(skip this one for it has nothing to do with the establishing of the usa)

May 24 – America 250 Family BBQ and Cookout

The Defense Department is encouraging all overseas installations to host cookout events at the end of May to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.

The department asked these military bases to invite U.S. expatriates and local communities to engage in the events on May 24.

(This one has all the earmarks of a political rally not something to celebrate the founding principles)

May 25 – Memorial Day National Observance

The planning committee is coordinating a “solemn, reverent and unified” day to commemorate the sacrifices of fallen U.S. soldiers on Memorial Day.

In addition to events taking place across the country on this day of remembrance, a national ceremony will be held at the Arlington National Cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater at noon May 25.

This will celebrate the fallen not the founding)

there iks much more faux celebrations that will be opportunities to lambast opponents of Donny and his band of idiots.

June 3 – Fish Fry

The Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will host its annual Fish Fry.

The event has been held for more than 40 years, typically in June, with hiatuses in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It usually attracts more than 1,000 people and is held at the department’s Herbert C. Hoover Building in Washington, D.C., according to a 2020 press release.

The Fish Fry is reserved for guests of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, congressional members and Commerce Department staff. This year’s event will feature Freedom 250 decorations and a “Made in the USA” theme, according to the planning committee’s website.

June 25 – The Great American State Fair

The National Mall will serve as the grounds for the “Great American State Fair” from June 25 to July 10.

Each day of the 16-day event will center around a different theme, like military and veterans’ appreciation and health and well-being. The fair will showcase culture from federal agencies and America’s 56 states and territories.

The planning committee advertised Wyoming dust roping, CHamoru dancing from Guam, and an Arizona desert experience.

Additionally, Education Secretary Linda McMahon issued a call for original art submissions from students across the country for a chance to win a trip to Washington and have their artwork featured at the event.

Students in grades 3-12 are encouraged to share art they created inspired by historical figures featured in the National Garden of American heroes. A winner will be selected from each state, and the deadline to submit artwork is May 1.

July 4 – Independence Day Celebrations

The Department of Interior will host Independence Day celebrations on the National Mall in the nation’s capital, as well as across the U.S. in places like Mount Rushmore, Gateway Arch National Park, Grand Coulee Dam, and Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

Additionally, the grand opening for former President Theodore Roosevelt’s library in Medora, N.D., is set on America’s 250th birthday. The event will feature a drone light performance on the evening of July 4.

The presidential center will pay homage to the 26th commander in chief’s “frontier spirit” and legacy as a conservationist. Tickets for the opening ceremony have sold out, but people interested in visiting the library are encouraged to plan their trips for later this summer.

The world’s largest peacetime armada, featuring tall ships and naval vessels from more than 30 nations, will also sail into New York Harbor on July 4. The event will include a parade, naval review, fireworks and festivals near the statue of Lady Liberty.

August 21 – IndyCar Street Race

The Department of Transportation is coordinating the first-ever street race in the nation’s capital later this summer with IndyCar.

The 1.7-mile course released by the motor racing organization last month loops around several historic sites on the mall in Washington, including the National Archives, National Gallery of Art and Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

Trump, an avid fan of motor racing, announced the race in an executive order earlier this year to “showcase the majesty of our great city as drivers navigate a track around our iconic national monuments in celebration of America’s 250th birthday.”

Fall 2026 – Patriot Games National Competition

The inaugural “Patriot Games” is scheduled to be held some time this fall. The four-day event will feature two high school athletes — one boy and one girl — from each U.S. state and territory.

Trump announced the “unprecedented four-day athletic event” last December.

Social media users and some Democrats have drawn unfavorable comparisons between the event and “The Hunger Games,” a fictional bloody competition from the eponymous dystopian book series.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5848096-what-to-know-about-events-marking-americas-250th/

Every one of these has nothing to do with the founding of this wonderful country and everything to do with the shoddy and tacky mind of a deranged psychopath, Donny.

Nothing about the events that brought this country to the forefront of the planet as the ‘beacon of freedom’.

Even the event on the 4th sounds more like a tacky Donny reality show than a celebration.

This is all so much bovine fecal matter.

Enough said!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Thomas Paine–Where It All Began

I shall forego the “Dump’ for this Saturday to bring you some history as we are beginning our celebration of the birth of America, 250 years and counting.

As a political historian I always like to look at cause and effect and the publication of Commonsense, was cause that lead a bunch of wealthy white guys to declare independence from Mother England.

Some believe that the DoI was the beginning of our struggle for independence….I disagree.  It began with Thomas Paine and the publishing of his pamphlet ‘Commonsense’ on 10 January 1776.

Common Sense made a clear case for independence and directly attacked the political, economic, and ideological obstacles to achieving it. Paine relentlessly insisted that British rule was responsible for nearly every problem in colonial society and that the 1770s crisis could only be resolved by colonial independence. That goal, he maintained, could only be achieved through unified action.

Hard-nosed political logic demanded the creation of an American nation. Implicitly acknowledging the hold that tradition and deference had on the colonial mind, Paine also launched an assault on both the premises behind the British government and on the legitimacy of monarchy and hereditary power in general. Challenging the King’s paternal authority in the harshest terms, he mocked royal actions in America and declared that “even brutes do not devour their young, nor savages make war upon their own families.”

Finally, Paine detailed in the most graphic, compelling and recognizable terms the suffering that the colonies had endured, reminding his readers of the torment and trauma that British policy had inflicted upon them.

(jackmillercenter.org)

The Constitution of the United States as proposed by Thomas Paine in Common Sense

Since Paine’s contribution is mostly overlooked by Americans here is the full text of Commonsense….

But for those lazy amongst us….these are the main ideas within Commonsense….

Monarchies Violate Laws of Nature and Religion

Thomas Paine believes monarchies are an invalid form of government because they violate the laws of nature and religion. Paine argues all people are born as equals, which is a function of nature. No person or family is better than another. That line of reasoning concludes there shouldn’t be a ruling class. Paine also thinks those who do rule should not be able to pass their position to their next of kin. Nature doesn’t grant one family superior intelligence or leadership abilities, and it’s very possible the next person in line for the job will lead his or her followers into ruin. Monarchal rule and hereditary succession violate the very laws of nature.

Monarchies also violate the word of God. Paine points out there were not any kings in the early days of humanity (at least according to scripture) and there weren’t any wars. Paine implies these two are related. He contends the devil invented kings, which were first adopted by the heathens, as a tool to promote idolatry. Both Gideon and Samuel warn their followers about the dangers of worshiping someone other than God. In Samuel’s case the Israelites don’t listen, and they are smitten for disobedience. Paine believes this biblical evidence proves God is the only true king.

Independent, Democratic America

Paine insists the British government doesn’t have the colonists’ best interest at heart. It cares only about its own profit and success, and it treats the colonists as second-class citizens. Americans do not have the same rights as those who live on British soil and are unfairly punished when they try to uphold their interpretation of the British Constitution. The grievances between the two parties, as well as the bloodshed and destruction caused by the British army, are too great to repair. The only answer is for the colonies to separate themselves from Great Britain.

To those who quaver in fear of losing the protection and benefits afforded by the British government, Paine points out Great Britain is much too far away to protect the colonists from any imminent danger, and it is much too small of an island to govern a territory as large as the American colonies. Though he admits there have been benefits to British rule, he contends life in the colonies would perhaps have been even more pleasant and fruitful had Great Britain never controlled them at all.

An independent America will need a government of its own. Paine has already proven monarchical rule is unsuitable for the success of a nation and the happiness of its people, so he suggests a representative government elected by the people. This structure is in line with what he believes nature intended, as each person’s voice will be represented equally. The law will be king in America, not a monarch.

The Fight for Independence Cannot Be Postponed

Paine urges his readers to take up the cause of independence now. The tensions between Great Britain and the American colonies are only going to get worse, and the damage done at the battles of Lexington and Concord and during the Siege of Boston cannot be repaired. If anything, the situation will worsen. Waiting for a better time would mean the loss of experience gained during the French and Indian War (1754–63), which would decrease the colonists’ chances of victory. Delaying the push for independence could mean being tethered to Great Britain indefinitely, and as Paine points out, a country dependent on another is weak in the eyes of the world.

America may be a young country, but it has a lot of assets, including its youth. “Youth is the seed time of good habits, as well in nations as in individuals,” he writes. Developing continental unity now will be much easier than 50 years down the road when individual colonies are deeply entrenched in their own ways of life. Colonies are not yet at their peak populations, which means there aren’t too many people or ports to protect, yet there are still enough men to form a robust army. People haven’t yet developed strong roots in their communities, nor have they made their family fortunes in business. Unlike British civilians, who may carry the weight of wealth and family tree, the colonists have little to lose by going to war. That will surely change if efforts for independence are postponed, which will make it harder to raise a capable army.

American Independence Benefits the World

Paine argues American independence will help all friendly nations thrive, especially those who engage with trade. Separating the colonies from Great Britain will create open and free trade. That means the colonists decide to whom they will sell and for what price, which will help the American economy grow and which will benefit other, primarily European, economies as well. When no longer bound by Great Britain’s trading laws, they will be free to import goods from other countries, such as Spain and France, as well as to import goods to them, all of which will improve the international economy. Paine doesn’t leave out England—he thinks open trade will benefit the British government and its citizens alike.

Trade isn’t the only part of international relations that will improve with American independence. The colonies will be able to maintain strong and friendly relationships with other countries even if those countries are quarreling with Great Britain. As subjects of the British government, the colonies often found themselves in the middle of disagreements with other nations, and there was always the risk of going to war over matters that didn’t pertain to those living in North America. Freedom from Great Britain allows the colonies to declare neutrality during international conflicts, which preserves existing relationships and protects the American citizens, their property, and their economy.

Now after reading that who was the original Founding Father?

Sixteen years ago I wrote this piece doing my part to give Thomas Paine his due….something this country has never been able to bring itself to do.
If it had not been for Paine the revolution and our independence would have been much delayed.
He deserves so much more than this country gave….and what they gave was near nothing.
I Read, I Write, You Know
“lego ergo scribo”

“One Big, Beautiful Celebration”

We are about to kick-off a year long celebration here in the US….we will be 250 years old and we will celebrate….

Donny announced the kick-off of the year long ‘party’….

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he will kick off his Independence Day weekend by traveling to Iowa on Thursday for “a very special event, honoring our Great Country.”

“I am thrilled to announce that I will be traveling to one of my favorite places in the World, beautiful Iowa, on Thursday, July 3rd, to kick off the very beginning of our exciting Celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary!” Trump posted to Truth Social Tuesday afternoon.

“Iowa voted for me THREE TIMES, because they love my Policies for our Wonderful Farmers and Small Businesses, and they LOVE AMERICA! This will be a very special event, honoring our Great Country, and our Brave Heroes who fought to keep us FREE,” he continued, and included a link for people to RSVP. “I’ll also tell you some of the GREAT things I’ve already done on Trade, especially as it relates to Farmers. You are going to be very happy with what I say — Should be a BIG Crowd!”

…

“This special event serves as the magnificent start of a dynamic, year-long commemoration across our beautiful country, unveiling a vision for a renewed commitment to America’s future,” Monica Crowley, the principal media representative for America250, said in a press release previewing the event.

(foxnews.com)

All this ‘patriotic’ rhetoric and the country is not as gung-ho as Little Donny….

orty-four percent of Americans said the country is becoming less patriotic, significantly more than the share who said Americans are becoming more patriotic, according to a survey published Tuesday.

The Economist/YouGov poll found that 44 percent of Americans said they think the country is becoming less patriotic, while 14 percent said they think the nation is becoming more patriotic. Some 42 percent said the level of patriotism has remained about the same.

The majority of Americans, 75 percent, consider themselves either very, at 37 percent, or somewhat, at 38 percent, patriotic. About 16 percent said they are “not very” patriotic, while 9 percent said they are “not at all” patriotic.

Twice as many Republicans said they are very patriotic, 54 percent, compared to Democrats, 27 percent, the survey found.

Just more than half of Americans, 51 percent, said they have an American flag at home. When divided by party, 68 percent of Republican voters said they have the U.S. flag at home, more than 30 points higher than the 37 percent of Democrats who said they had one.

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/5379913-44-percent-say-us-becoming-less-patriotic-survey/

All this jubilation is good but there is a drop in those that are not as proud of their country as Donny wants us to believe…..

If you suspect that many Americans prize their partisan affiliations above their common status as U.S. citizens, the evidence keeps rolling in to support your position. Pride in being an American has reached an all-time low even as we prepare to celebrate Independence Day. More telling is that Americans’ pride—or lack thereof—in the one big thing they have in common seems increasingly linked to whether their preferred politicians are in power. The partisan nature of Americans’ regard for their nationality affects many people across the political spectrum but is especially pronounced among Democrats.

“A record-low 58% of U.S. adults say they are ‘extremely’ (41%) or ‘very’ (17%) proud to be an American, down nine percentage points from last year and five points below the prior low from 2020,” Gallup’s Jeffrey M. Jones reported this week.

By contrast, in 2013, 57 percent of respondents were “extremely” proud and 28 percent were “very” proud. The high point since the turn of the century was between 2002 and 2004 when at least 90 percent of respondents reported a combination of the two. In these over-politicized times, it’s not surprising that the most dramatic decline was among those whose political tribe is out of power.

“Democrats are mostly responsible for the drop in U.S. pride this year, with 36% saying they are extremely or very proud, down from 62% a year ago,” Jones wrote, in a continuation of a general erosion that has partially tracked that party’s political fortunes. At 53 percent, political independents have dropped seven points since last year: “Independents’ pride has been declining since the early 2000s, dropping below 80% for the first time in 2005, then below 70% in 2019 and below 60% this year.”

https://reason.com/2025/07/02/americans-celebrate-independence-day-less-proud-of-their-country-than-ever/

Let the celebration begin!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Other Independence Day

Closing Thought–19Jun19

Nope not a sequel to a popular SciFi movie….but a second American independence Day…..19June….or as it has become known as…Juneteenth……..

Juneteenth falls on June 19 each year. It is a holiday whose history was hidden for much of the last century. But as the nation now observes the 150th anniversary of the Civil War’s onset, it is a holiday worth recognizing. In essence, Juneteenth marks what is arguably the most significant event in American history after independence itself—the eradication of American slavery.

For centuries, slavery was the dark stain on America’s soul, the deep contradiction to the nation’s founding ideals of “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” and “All men are created equal.” When Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, he took a huge step toward erasing that stain. But the full force of his proclamation would not be realized until June 19, 1865—Juneteenth, as it was called by slaves in Texas freed that day.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/juneteenth-our-other-independence-day-16340952/

Another part of our history that usually gets overlooked for the more sanitized version of the days after the end of the Civil War.

Learn Stuff!

Class Dismissed!

Bastille Day

If you are in France then today is a big day…….

July 14 is celebrated as the French independence day since 1789……and anyone that took a history class knows the story of how the people of Paris stormed the Bastille which was a prison at the time of the revolution…..or so they say…..

You guessed it…the old professor will drop some history on you that you may not have been aware of in you studies…..

In contrast with what we have learned in history class, the Bastille was never captured by attack. Actually, it was handed out to the rebels in a quite peaceful way. Strictly speaking, French national holiday – 14th of July, shouldn’t be celebrated for the storming of Bastille, but for handing it to the rebels instead.

Official historical description of the event is as follows: on the 14.th of July 1789, thousands of rebels marched towards the Bastille, well-known royal fortress in the center of Paris, to protest against tyrannical regime of king Louis XVI, and against the retirement of Jacques Necker, popular French minister of finances.

Guards loyal to the king soon started to shoot into the rebel crowd using cannons and muskets, but yet the rebels, although with heavy casualties, managed to heroically storm and conquer this despicable symbol of the royal power. They freed the suffering prisoners from the dungeons of Bastille, announced the end of despotism and beginning of the better future for the mankind.

http://www.historyrundown.com/was-bastille-really-conquered-by-the-people-of-paris/

And that is my dropping of history……did you know that Thomas Paine was earmarked for execution after the Revolution but he made it out because of a mistake.  (that is a post for another day)

Since some of my ancestors were French…I have taken to celebrating the Bastille Day as a family tradition.

Today will be my way of celebrating…… wine and cheese (French of course) and afternoon nap….after all I am an old fart and need my rest……and then a soccer match between Belgium and England……

Have a good day and I will see you guys tomorrow…..be well, be safe….chuq

Reign Of Terror

Last month, July, the French celebrated their Bastille Day, their equivalent to our Independence Day.  They threw off the yoke of the monarchy and set about forming a republic.

After their storming of the Bastille there is little knowledge of what followed….few know of the Reign of Terror but few understand what it was or who was the leader….

I can help with that…..Robespierre was his name and terror was his game.

Maximilien Robespierre has always provoked strong feelings. For the English he is the ‘sea-green incorruptible’ portrayed by Carlyle, the repellent figure at the head of the Revolution, who sent thousands of people to their death under the guillotine. The French, for the most part, dislike his memory still more. There is no national monument to him, though many of the revolutionaries have had statues raised to them. Robespierre is still considered beyond the pale; only one rather shabby metro station in a poorer suburb of Paris bears his name.

Although Robespierre, like most of the revolutionaries, was a bourgeois, he identified with the cause of the urban workers, the sans-culottes as they came to be known, and became a spokesman for them. It is for this reason that he came to dominate the Revolution in its most radical phase. This was the period of the Jacobin government, which lasted from June 1793 to Robespierre’s overthrow in July 1794; the months when the common people became briefly the masters of the first French republic, which had been proclaimed in September 1792. It is also known, more ominously, as the Terror.

Source: Robespierre and the Terror | History Today

There is always more to the story than we know…..I try to help with that oversight.

Class dismissed!

Closing Thought–12Jan17

Lately there is has been a wealth of stories in the news about Puerto Rico…most of it having to do with the island going bankrupt…..but there is a new twist to the story of this island state…..

Puerto Rico’s new rep to the US Congress filed a bill Wednesday that would turn the island into the 51st US state by 2025. The bill is the first step in a renewed quest for statehood that’s to include a referendum letting Puerto Rico voters choose between independence and statehood, Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez tells the AP. She filed the bill less than a day after she was sworn in as Puerto Rico’s first female congressional representative, saying she aims to secure equal treatment for the more than 3 million US citizens living in the US territory. “We are treated as second-class American citizens,” says Gonzalez, a Republican who once served as speaker of the island’s House of Representatives.

The bill also aims to relieve a decade-long economic crisis that’s sparked a recent exodus of more than 200,000 Puerto Ricans to the mainland. If Congress ultimately accepts Puerto Rico as a state, the island would receive roughly $10 billion in additional federal funds a year, Gonzalez says. Puerto Rico became a US territory in 1898 and gained limited political autonomy when the US approved its constitution in 1952. However, islanders can’t vote in presidential elections, and their congressional representative has limited voting powers. Statehood is a top priority for Puerto Rico’s new governor, Ricardo Rossello, who has said he plans to hold elections to choose two senators and five representatives to Congress and send them to Washington to demand statehood, a strategy used by Tennessee to join the union in the 1700s.

The US has been raping the island for decades maybe it is time for them to enter into the union…..but first…..what says the people of Puerto Rico?

This should be their decision not some isolated fat cat in the Congress…..

Good day my friends…I look forward to your visits….