Benjamin Franklin

Ben Franklin

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“From the bottom of my heart, I thank Mr. Wedderburn for everything he has said against me. My gratitude is sincere. You’ve answered a question which has troubled me since boyhood. But you have finally put my mind at ease. The question is fundamental and when my fellow colonists arrive at the same answer as I, a great empire may fall. Mr. Wedderburn says I’m a traitor, but this is not true. The question he has answered for me is thus: ‘Am I a British subject? Or am I the citizen of a new nation? A country distinct and different from England?’ And today I declare my answer: ‘I am not British. I am an American!’ And man can only betray his own country. My country is no longer England. My country is America.”

Quote of the Day

Benjamin Franklin, on the National Bird, in a letter to his daughter:

For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.

With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country…

I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For in Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America… He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.

Quote of the Day–Independence Day

“From the bottom of my heart, I thank Mr. Wedderburn for everything he has said against me. My gratitude is sincere. You’ve answered a question which has troubled me since boyhood. But you have finally put my mind at ease. The question is fundamental and when my fellow colonists arrive at the same answer as I, a great empire may fall. Mr. Wedderburn says I’m a traitor, but this is not true. The question he has answered for me is thus: ‘Am I a British subject? Or am I the citizen of a new nation? A country distinct and different from England?’ And today I declare my answer: ‘I am not British. I am an American!’ And man can only betray his own country. My country is no longer England. My country is America.” Benjamin Franklin to the British Parliament

“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!” Patrick Henry to the Second Virginia Convention

“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 out 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 the 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.” Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence

“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Nathan Hale

These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Thomas Paine, The American Crisis

“I have not yet begun to fight!” Captain John Paul Jones

“Out of this rabble has risen a people who defy kings.” A soldier of King George III at the surrender at Yorktown

“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty; it ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.” John Adams on Independence Day celebrations

“Do I Look Like a Criminal?” or “Why I’ll Never be Flying Again”

(Last time I checked, in this country, people are *supposed* to be innocent until proven guilty. I guess there’s an airport exception in there that I’m unaware of.)

I was concerned when I first heard about the new airport scanners, but I mostly dismissed it, seeing as how it’s been over a decade since I’ve been on an airplane, so it doesn’t really apply to me.

But then I started hearing more about the scans, not to mention the new pat-downs, and even though I don’t fly myself, I’m absolutely incensed for those who do, my husband included. It seems as though America’s new approach to air travelers is to assume that they are all criminals, detain them, and then let them go if everything checks out, through a series of pornographic scans with unknown radiation effects and/or sexual assault via pat-down. (With apologies to people who have suffered from sexual assaults, that’s exactly what this is. I’ve heard first-hand accounts of some of these pat-downs, and if people were touched in this fashion in any other place, with witnesses no less, they would be able to call the police and press charges.)

And don’t tell me that I have given my consent by buying a plane ticket, because I would never, ever give my consent to this kind of action, and my purchasing a ticket should not negate my freedoms or violate my Fourth Amendment rights. Not to mention that my ticket is with a specific airline, but it’s a government agency doing these searches, not the airline being used. Wouldn’t it stand to reason that any consent I gave would be to the airline, not the government? And yet, even the airlines, (or at least their employees), are protesting these new security measures.

I’ve heard that if I  want to avoid this whole mess, I don’t “have” to fly. This reasoning, or lack thereof, is ridiculous–it would be like having told Rosa Parks that she didn’t “have” to get on the bus. There are many things I don’t “have” to do, but that I can do, and I expect a reasonable amount of freedoms in them all.

Perhaps we should dust off that old, offensive word–profiling. Believe it or not, profiling doesn’t have to have anything to do with race. How about we train people to look for travelers who are acting suspicious, who stand out in a crowd, and pull those people aside and question *them*? Wouldn’t that make more sense than invading the privacy and trampling on the rights of law-abiding citizens?

At what point are we going to realize that we’re sacrificing too much in the name of “safety?” Especially when that “safety” is really just a false sense of security. There isn’t actually any proof that these scanners are going to accomplish anything other than group humiliation and irritation. Maybe some more research should have been done on these devices and their effects before millions of dollars were spent to put them in every airport.

And will it stop at airports? If the government/TSA deems that these scanners and new pat-down methods are “successful” are we going to see them used in other venues as well? I’m thinking places where large numbers of people gather, such as stadiums for sporting events. It’s a slippery slope, folks, and if we tolerate this kind of violation in one area, it is very likely that we will be asked to tolerate it in other aspects of our lives, as well.

If it was just me, and I “had” to fly, maybe I would put up with it, even though I shouldn’t have to. I can’t imagine that any TSA agent would enjoy scanning and/or frisking an overweight mother of four any more than I would enjoy having it done. But I will not ever subject my children to that. I don’t want them to think it’s normal to have what is essentially a naked picture of yourself taken anywhere. And I haven’t spent years talking to them about inappropriate touch, only to have to back pedal and say, “I was wrong, sweetie. It’s completely acceptable for a total stranger to touch you in those places as long as it’s done in an airport.” So, as long as these new “security measures” are in place, we won’t be flying. There’s no where we *have* to go, and while I was hoping to take them abroad someday, I will sacrifice that pleasure in the name of liberty.

It was my impression that we valued out freedoms in America. Apparently not so much for many of us, as it seems like many Americans are willing to just blindly accept this as the new reality, and follow the rest of the flock to insanity. I, for one, am with Benjamin Franklin:

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.