Cartoons from NPR.
Ya know fellas, your Head Trucker ain't no spring chicken anymore, and can't keep up with what all those crazy kids are doing these days. But over the weekend I ran across this number sung by some little girl who isn't half bad - she has a mature, powerful voice, and I think she should keep up with her singing, she might even make a career out of it one day.
And normally I don't like anyone messing around with the National Anthem - but I'll make an exception in this particular case, and I think you boys will like it too. Enjoy, and have a good one now, ya hear?
And then there's a voice from the past:
Excerpt from a letter by Thomas Jefferson, June 24, 1826, declining with regret an invitation to attend the 50th Independence Day celebrations in Washington, D. C. (spelling and capitalization as per the original):
may it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the Signal of arousing men to burst the chains, under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings & security of self-government. that form which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion.
all eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. the general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view. the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of god. these are grounds of hope for others. for ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.
By a curious chance, Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, a few hours before his friend and fellow co-signer of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams.
From the National Archives via Andrew Sullivan.
Update, July 5: Hey pardners, check out the fabulous light show at the Empire State Building last night:
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