CAN WE BE RED, WHITE AND BLUE PATRIOTS?
Tomorrow is the 241st birthday of America. Our great nation has had one form of government, a democratic republic and one overall governing document, the U.S. Constitution. Yes, it’s been amended, but this land of the free has been a pretty civil society devoted to individual freedom and opportunity accompanied by personal responsibility.
Back on June 11, 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed a “Committee of Five” to draft a document that would be presented to the tyrant ruling not only Great Britain but the 13 colonies. Delegates of the Continental Congress — Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut and Robert R. Livingston of New York — were picked for this most incredible job: to pen the language serving to sever control of the British crown and announce the formation of 13 separate and independent states.
Jefferson was the lead author at the demand of his colleagues. A draft of the document was reviewed by the Continental Congress on June 28. It wasn’t the first draft, but rather the 47th, following very careful and deliberate discussions, debate and redrafting. After edits were made, a vote was taken. The Declaration of Independence, handwritten on a parchment piece measuring 24 1/4 inches by 29 3/4 inches, received a unanimous vote on July 4, 1776.
Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia, introduced the enabling legislative statement calling for the declaration to be written just four days before the appointment of the Committee of Five. Upon its original introduction on June 7, there were six colonies opposed to the notion of separation from Britain. South Carolina, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York were not convinced such drastic measures would succeed in these young geographies. The Lee Resolution was only fully supported after the delegates of the Continental Congress thoroughly examined each argument surrounding the independence of separate states.
In our day of scorched rhetoric that puts every individual in some voting bloc by gender, ethnicity, sexual preference, race, educational attainment, socioeconomic standing or any other trait from an endless list of separating identifiers, could something of such magnitude be achieved? Would the first, second or any subsequent draft be leaked to King George or an operative? Would the rice lobby of South Carolina fire up the citizens who would certainly lose their jobs if subsidies were cut in order to increase military spending for the large-scale military fight ahead? Would the Quakers of Pennsylvania in their history of demanding women’s rights be shunned by the progressive delegation from Connecticut that did not want to conform to any set of moral standards?
You get the point.
Being Red and Blue for one’s partisan affiliation has served America well in creating emphasis on voting and the political process. Yet, why do we permit the differences in partisanship to vacillate so violently on key issues like the worth of work and keeping one’s earnings instead of normalizing generations who are wards of the government for their daily existence? How is it that partisanship cultivates such disparaging views of those who wear a uniform whether serving in defense of our nation or protecting our neighborhoods? Why is it that words like “bigot,” “homophobe” or “racist” are used so casually when addressing matters of a citizen’s faith about marriage and sexual preference?
Rising generations, who’ve never seen governance outside the red-blue divide, are poised to lead. My hope is that the red, white and blue will always prevail.
Robin Smith, a former chairwoman of the Tennessee Republican Party, owns Rivers Edge Alliance.