it is a free country (still), but this should be mandatory reading

handwritten facsimile or plain text; your choice
A quick note and holiday link-a-pallooza before heading out to the ‘burbs for family grilling and sitting by the pool. I added the last bullet point below to link to last year’s post, form which this is taken:

In past years on this date I have printed the text, which is always a good read, start to finish, especially if you have not read it in a while. It is much easier to read here than in the facsimile printed today, as usual, on the back page of the front section of the New York Times (but less fun?). (Note to self: ask daughter if she ever read that ripped-out NYT page I mailed her every year she was away at summer camp, back in the day….)

• 2007:  July 4 – ’nuff said (the text, and signatories)
• text again, in 2008 (no imagination!) when in the course…
• 2010, we had a celebrity in town: see an original fair copy of The Declaration of Independence
• [did you know that some signers of the Declaration signed as late as August 2?]

Of course, the Declaration did not make us a nation. The Constitution did that in 1789. But what a glorious start!

Congratulations on this ‘birthday’ to all citizens of the US of A, and to people everywhere who are inspired by this country’s foundation stories.

If you use exploding things today, (1) light, then (2) throw; (3) do NOT hold. Have a happy!

© Sandy Mattingly 2012