So here we are, just past another 4th of July. I did the family bbq thing, like so many of us do. I skipped out of the fireworks as I have for a few years now, I suppose in silent protest for the state of the union.
But what good does an individual's silent protest really do anyone? In retrospect, I spent the day ignoring uncomfortable issues, and only in the wake of the day did I stumble across some thought-provoking brain fodder that led me to contemplate who we are as a nation and how I fit into that. Rather than writing my own rant, I'm going to point you to a couple of alternative news sources, both of whom took a deeper look at the texts that our nation was built on over two hundred years ago and how they fit us now. (I akin it to trying on that old prom dress that you've been keeping in the back of the closet for however many years. Every now and again, you slip it on and see what parts still fit. Otherwise why are you hanging on to it?) My friend Chezza wrote a good blog entitled Free Speech. Check that out. Chezza can always be relied upon for a good, intelligent rant. I'd also like to point you towards The Fringe, a public affairs program on the local, free-format KDVS radio station out of UC Davis. The DJ for this particular weekly hour of programming, Mara, has a calm, insightful way of questioning the world around us and the first half of her show this week was a discussion of the Declaration of Independence which I think you should listen to. Her show is available by podcast. (Don't know what a podcast is? Easy definition: an audio or video broadcast that you listen to on your computer. Want to know more about podcasts? Check out this article Shawn wrote for the full scoop.)