From a reader here:
As we reflect on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we should remember what independence actually cost.
The American Revolution lasted eight years (1775–1783), with more than two dozen major battles and engagements across North America. Tens of thousands died from combat, disease, and exposure.
At Valley Forge, Washington’s army nearly collapsed during the winter of 1777–78 from starvation, cold, and disease, surviving only through endurance and discipline.
In British prison ships anchored in Wallabout Bay, New York Harbor, thousands of American prisoners endured overcrowding, disease, and starvation. Many died, their bodies carried out and discarded overboard without proper burial. Even then, many refused British offers of release in exchange for renouncing the Patriot cause.
This is the human cost behind the Declaration of Independence, which lit the fuse of liberty in 1776. The Revolutionary generation’s greatest gift though was igniting ideas that would fuel the enduring quest for freedom for all.
Such sacrifice calls for more than remembrance. It calls for a renewed commitment to justice, dignity, and freedom for all.
Aristophanes
Dr. Richard F. Griffiths
1 comment:
Happy birthday America. As a non American, I thank you for your commitment to freedom and liberty. Without you many of us would not be here today, and our nations would be enslaved by others who do not share your values of liberty freedom and human rights with dignity. We live in troubled times and as I look at America today, I see disturbing trends. This most, indeed perhaps the greatest of gentile nations is still, in spite of these dark times a beacon of hope for many. Congratulations and best wishes to you for your future. God raises up nations and brings them to ruin. Remember, In God we trust.
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