The Big Middle Finger

It is the fourth of July and each year I hope that people realize the importance of why we celebrate this day. In this day in 1776, Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. This was the formal severing of bonds with Great Britain, the country that colonized us.

For adults it is easy to grasp this but I taught 9th grade civics and the only concept they have of the fourth is lighting bottle rockets. It was difficult finding a way to spice history up so I always tried to translate big concepts with ones they understand. For the fourth I always told them that I called it the big middle finger.

Go back and read the text of the declaration. You can find it at http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/doi/text.html My job to read this text with the kids and try to dramatize this in a way they could appreciate it. For example:

We hold these truths to be self-evident = What are ya, stupid

to throw off such government = move out of the house

usurpations = I never really had anything for that one.

The point is that the Declaration is probably the biggest middle finger ever given. We not only stated what we wanted and what we were about but we challenged the biggest kid on the playground. It was like me grabbing a bunch of under equipped but very determined average joes and challenging the Yankees to a 7 game series and eventually winning.

This is the spirit of the country I live in an man is it great. Every fourth I wish I had been there on that day changing the world and protecting my countrymen. At this point my kids would be looking at me like I was a dork but you know what, its a message worth trying to drill into their heads and I will keep trying. Happy fourth everyone!