July 3, 1776

The problem is that they phrased something very badly. "Created equal" is a lofty notion and a patent untruth, and in America this meaning has dysmorphed into a meme that life should be "equally" fair to everybody. We are the most fraying, blame-prone, irresponsible nation on the planet. Personal accountability is no longer held accountable. We are a confederacy of whiners, complainers, self-abusers, litigators far worse than in any nation I have visited. I think I have re-entered the U.S. from abroad maybe 120 times, each time I come home this notion occurs to me afresh. Life is most definitely not fair, and shame on the committee of five for hinting that it should be. In the same way that Confucius literally wrecked millennia of Chinese civilization with his mumpsimus ideas, so it this idea part and parcel of the exuberant threadbaring of American civilization.

This country undoubtedly has its flaws; but it is still the greatest country in the world.  Like it or n ott, bad behavior and all, we do have a voice and this is the country to which those who immigrate choose to come.

Andy, beautifully put. Also, Mr. P, magnificently put. I had tears in my eyes reading it. And to Karma swim swami, perhaps, there's another place you'd be happier in. (I'm trying not to whine but aren't we lucky we have a country we can whine to our heart's content.)
 As PL says, peace out.

When I said place, I meant country. Not this place, the Eye, because this place is perfect. And KSS, we still love you.

Andy, I guess it depends on how you look at it, but (the Vatican aside) it looks like as a percentage of total population, people who emigrate head to the middle east http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of_countries_by_immigrant_population. Of course the US wins volume hands down, though ;)

I'm also fairly sure that you could ask inhabitants of any nation which was the greatest and get different answers in each. Pride in your nation is to be applauded. I say this as an inhabitant of the greatest country in the world, as they all undoubtedly are.

[Very brief threadjack] As for the unprovoked implied assault on my redbloodedness from Tuesday by Miss Ive (subsequent apology notwithstanding). -

I'm far more interested in *watching* the lithe tanned female athletes at Wimbledon, than listening to them yelp like they stubbed their toe.

I'm with Kristina -- I have felt totally intimidated by the level of many of your conversations.  And the fact that most of you seem to know each other and have some inside jokes!  As far as photography goes, I believe it is a craft that sometimes can turn into art.  I just finished reading Flags of Our Fathers and revisited "The Photograph" of the flagraising on Iwo Jima -- a perfect example of spontaneous art.  I have dabbled in photography at times, and I attribute most of my "accidental art" to the quality of the camera I used.

By the way, in case you didn't recognize it, I was responding to yesterday's opinion poll!

Not to worry, Cyndy.  I'm finding the Eye to be a fascinating and friendly place, welcoming, and humor tends to temper the intimidation factor.  As to giving your opinion on yesterday's topic, today:  all's fair, mistakes happen, often.  Mistakes happen often here. Just wait till you try to double space, like I just tried to do.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, most of the time I wind up with one huge run-on paragraph, but quirks are all part of the charm of the place. So welcome, Cyndy, from another relatively new-comer here at the Eye.

As I said, Cyndy, today the magic box here isn't wanting to double space, so it didn't, and you will just have to plod through my thick paragraph to read your "welcome."

Please.....nobody should ever feel intimidated by being here. I feel safe here, and it's why I said the gruff things I said before. It's how I feel, but I am very happy to be disagreed with. Evrerybody here really is free to express any sort of opinion.  I happen to have a lot of nuclear family that no longer live in the U.S.
 
I am no miscreant, but my view is also derived singificantly from clinical practice. I'm the strongest patient advocate I have ever met (except maybe for Olivia), but I do so get frustrated by the fact the 99% of what I see owes to self-abuse, overnutrition or underactivity. And a majority of those people really want someone to blame, someone to sue, regarding their problems. The majority come seeking a granting of disability status for no legitimate reason at all. I am in the People's Republic of Tennessee, where the AVERAGE patient is on 15 medications, and where it is inculcated into people that the highest thing they can hope to achieve in life is getting disabled.
 
Anyway, I feel absolutely self-horrified at the prospect of having said anything that anyone else finds intimidating. I am completely harmless.

I don't find you intimidating, swami.  I find you rare, a rare beast who sometimes barks, doesn't bite.  I wish there were more of you in the medical profession.  Your disgust with the "It's not my fault" excuse from grown people when it comes to their health and well-being is something I share.  In fact, I share it to such a degree, I wanted to stand up and say "You Tell 'em, Mark" but I don't grunt when I serve, so how would such an outburst like that sound about the US of 

Thanks to both of you for the kind welcome.  And, karma swim swami, I have known people like those you mentioned.  Some of the "gruff" things you said about our country are all too true.  It is truly the best place to live on Earth, but there is still room for improvement.  And if we don't talk about the flaws, nothing will ever be done about them.

I see where swami is coming from but there seems to be the potential for gross misinterpretation here.  The phrase "created equal" is actually very well phrase because, as John DB points out, the word "created" is crucial to the meaning.  Nowhere does it say "all men will receive equal treatment, equal money, equal comfort, or equal goodies".  We are merely CREATED equal.  After that, it's up to us.  So, while the criticisms of our culture are valid, the notion that "created equal" is ill-phrased and to blame for these faults is diametrically opposed to the truth.  The founding fathers never gave any indication that the world should devolve into Harrison Bergeron.
 
Also, I have been listening for years to people say "life is unfair" as a thinly veiled excuse for their refusal to make an effort.  Any time people sit back and do nothing in the face of gross injustice, they shrug and say "life is unfair".  These are the people Dante Alighieri sentenced to the first circle of hell.
 
Speaking of people like Dante:  I notice, swami, in your PE profile, that you are a widely published writer.  I deduce, therefore, that you are familiar with Cervantes.  I refer you to his notion that the greatest madness is to see life as it is rather than as it should be.

kss,
Personally I think we ought to cut the framers of The Declaration of Independence a little slack. After all, they were creating a rallying cry to inspire a revolution whose clock was ticking and the enemy was at the gate. That is not accomplished with anything short of extremely high ideals, lofty goals and shooting for the stars. They did, to their credit, add the qualifiers that it pertained to the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, with "pursuit of" being the key words. Quite frankly, I would be less inclined to go to war for something that was just a tad better than what I've got now. 

I do agree with your thoughts that through the decades, many citizens of the later generations of "we the people" have taken liberty with the original intent of that phrase and twisted it to suit their wants and needs. I just don't think we can blame the original Fab Five for that tough. And certainly not all of us have wrapped ourselves in the cloak of selfish misinterpretation of those lofty words to cover our failings. At worst case I think it's a perfect example of "the road to hell being paved with good intentions".

Under the circumstances, back when "the clock was ticking" and these five men were attempting to create of a vision of hope that would be worth dying for; I believe they were very successful and not to be held accountable for those who would later distort the meaning and noble intentions of these words a couple of centuries later.

Obviously it's still a work in progress that will always be faced with new challenges; some from without, some from within.

Anyroads...... Peace out, enjoy the holiday, and be careful out there ‘cos people do get crazy with booze and fireworks.....

Cyndy,

First and foremost.... welcome to the neighborhood. It's a nice neighborhood 99.999999% of the time so please jump in any time. The street lights are always lit and there is always a friendly cop walkin' the beat to keep us all safe.

I like your thoughts about photography being "accidental art". That's the way I feel about my photos. I'm like Forrest Gump with a camera, he just liked to run and I just like to take photographs. Sometimes something nice happens.

Be well

John_DB, Welcome to you and your thoughts and ideas too.  Sorry I messed you earlier.

Cyndy and Kristina-a hound-dog howdy, and welcome to you and all comers! Lurkers-we see you! C'mon in, the conversational soup is fine, and enhanced by everyone dipping a toe.
Yes we do know each other and have inside jokes, but that's any group of friends who hang together over time. Doesn't mean we don't welcome noobs (I use that term affectionately) and their contributions, just like this great country we live in, the greatest country that ever was, home of the brave, land of the free, seat of democracy and light unto the world *cough, sneeze, hack*. Excuse me, have to clear my throat after that load of hokum.
Like any country, we have our good and bad points. Good and bad people, too, many of them elected officials with slippery zippers and slipperier morals. Janus faced doublespeakers, bad monkey brains, itchy trigger fingers, jut-jawed triumphalists and international bullies. Going abroad is very good for the opening of minds. Parochialism is the opposite. I wish all children could experience a summer or more abroad in another land, not to mention instruction HERE in the Three Rs, art and music and strenuous exercise Teddy Roosevelt style, and freedom from indoctrination.
 
And a pony!

Oops-and hola wilkommen bienvenue etc to John DB! Yo, dude-wassup?

...as I was saying, above, before I experienced technical difficults, Swami, I agree with you about the blame-game, but I'm going to go outside to the hammock with a cold root beer and try to get over it. The framers needed all of us to get together and form something unique to the world, and they wanted it to last, and for that purpose alone I think "created equal" is as good as anything else, undoubtedly better, and probably genius, given that it has worked well -- not perfectly but very very well -- for a couple hundred decades plus change. And I wouldn't want to live anywhere else on this earth, under any other flag.  This one's mine and I love it.  Like cuukoo I'm a homebody, and I'm real happy with this country of ours and astounded time and time again when I think of what the Founders created.  The words, the intentions behind them, the realization:  it's all good.    And I'm all gone.  Out to the hammock, waiting for the sun.

I, for one, and I know I'm not alone, am so glad to see DPR back amongst us. 
 
Welcome to our newcomers!  May I ask this question:  perhaps you are not so intimidated by the opinions or the ideas expressed here as by the superb writing ability that so many Eyesters have?  I know that I am always impressed.
 
As for so many of us seeming to know each other, most of us only know each other through this site and have never met.   
 

Now, as for being equal......we're not but we can still play the game...
 
Last night was my first time racing in the evening dinghy races at my sailing club.  The evening was lovely - dry air, clear sky, lake level high.  The breeze was shifty but that's normal on inland lakes in the summer.  I suppose it was blowing about 3 in the cove; a vocal lot of us begged the race committee to go further out into the lake where the breeze was at least double but alas, we stayed close to shore and bar.
 
We had about 5 Lasers and maybe a dozen Sunfish.  I'm sailing an old Sunfish that we happened to find one day at my dad's house.  My husband peeked over the back wall and there was a Sunfish, abandoned and filthy.  We moseyed over and asked if they'd like to be rid of it and one week later it was ours - $150 with a trailer - a few repairs necessary but nothing the hubby couldn't handle.  Anyhoo, my sail is old and baggy so I didn't think I'd have much chance against the other guys with new racing sails.
 
I managed a decent start in most of the races even though I didn't understand the starting signal sequence they used.  I actually held my own and more than once passed a lot of boats that chose the wrong side of the course.  At one mark, I even passed an old veteran who wasn't paying attention to me.  All in all, for my first time, it was very satisfying. I certainly learned that even on little one-man boats in a club race, there are a lot of things to pay attention to and it's exhausting.  I hope to learn something new each time and I hope that the learning will improve my scores but if not, it's still fun to gather with friends, compete, and drink cold beer when it's over. 
 
When you expect last and it doesn't happen, it's almost as good as winning. 
 
 

I tried 3 times to come up with something to say about today's topic.  I tried to talk about equality, but it wouldn't come.  I think the issue is beyond my ken.
 
So, instead, I will wax poetic about the feast that awaits me tomorrow.  Without even knowing the full menu, I can guess at what will be had:
 
Roast pork;
fresh Watermelon
Some sort of super-healthy salad thingie from my cousin the natural-food chef;
Pie
Pie
Pie (my mom's been busy)
Pasta salads
The best seats in the house for the annual Country Club fireworks display (we don't belong, my uncle just has a huge second-floor deck that looks over the lake that they shoot the fireworks over).
 
We'll eat the food (and probably a few bugs), drink some beer, get mosquito bites, and just relax in the company of family and friends.
 
My brain can handle that easier than an in-depth discussion of liberty and equality.  Besides, it's Friday.  Thinking is not allowed.

"My sail is old and baggy" metaphor or euphemism...?

WT,In my case it would probably be the truth....

Big hug, Shandonista.  Thank you, friend.
 
The world "equal" might be a bit vague but, in its socio-political context, its use in the Declaration is perfectly legitimate.  Certainly, we are all unequal in athletic ability, artistic talent, social grace, ethical conduct, etc.  As the Soviet sniper says in Enemy at the Gates:
 
There will always be rich and poor.  Rich in gifts, poor in gifts, rich in love, poor in love.
 
I would never seek to argue this point.  Even I am not that silly.  But it is no secret that this is not remotely the context in which the word is used by the founding fathers.  Once again, anyone who has read Harrison Bergeron knows the dangers of seeking such total equality.  But the alternative to accepting socio-political equality in the Declaration's context has been demonstrated throughout the world.
 
A lack of equality was imposed by Pol Pot when he murdered every one of his citizens with a college education.  When Lenin and his protegee, Stalin, expelled the children of land and factory owners from their universities and declared them "class enemies", this was another example of the unequal impositions popular in the old world.  And my Jewish heritage would turn me into soap for Goebbels' ass if my great grandfather hadn's left Germany when he did.  So Olivia is quite right:  Visiting other countries can be very eye-opening and mind-opening.  Let us not forget that the founding fathers were well versed in European custom and made a very deliberate effort to be different from those traditions.  For this, I thank them.
 
But, to return to Shandonista's sporting analogy, what matters most here is the effort.  It's no secret that the U.S. has betrayed its own ideals more than once.  It's no secret that the equality and fairness promised in those noble, 233 year-old documents has not always been delivered.  But effort comes first.
 
I am reminded of something my speech teacher at AADA (with the unfortunate name of Jim DeMonic) used to say:
 
If you strive for a hundred percent and you fall short, but you gave it everything you had, you have nothing to apologize for.  If you strive to simply get by and you get by... what have you really attained?
 
That is how I view the country.  We are not remotely perfect.  We'll probably never be perfect.  But that's no excuse not to try.

Why don't you check out my sail for yourself, Trask, and make your own decision!
 
 

Hi Michael!
 
I'm having a hard time getting used to your not being Coyote Mike any more.  But time eases everything.
 
Your menu sounds great!  I wish I could bring my famous black-and-white brownies to your deck.  Alas, I'm working all day tomorrow.  The good news is I'll be working on Water Taxi doing tours of the harbor so, come evening, my wife and daughter get to join me on the boat and we'll be out in the river right by the barges where the fireworks are shot off.  It'll be the best view we've ever had.

DPR - your daughter is lovely!  Back in the day, my daughter got a lot of wear out of her Snow White costume.  Once, her 5 year old boyfriend (she's 10 now) wore it all day for a play date...let's just say he was comfortable with his feminine side.
 
 

 If I had a feminine side, I can tell you what the other side would be up to all day.

Shandonista, I have always loved the fact that you and I make a point of taking our daughters on international travels.  The pics of your girl in Paris thrill me and, of course, my Mexico City pics of Viv have been on the site for a while as well.  I keep meaning to put some more photos up but, right now, things are so crazy I'm just lucky to be back at all!

 
Today I  harvested red, white and blue potatoes, just in time for the 4th of july !!!!

Shandy-I forgot to respond a few days ago to something you said about books. At least I think it was you? I am in total sensory overload right now from the work load...I read the Bonfigliori trilogy last Spring, and it was so good. Have you finished it? I had a comment about the last book, but will hold until I hear back.
 
I've always wanted to learn to sail. I'm so glad for you!
 
I took my kids to Ireland and France to see their family starting when the wee-est was a babe in arms, and her big bro was 3. They were good little travelers, and I think benefited  greatly from it. At six and four they were riding the Paris Metro. They declined to climb the Eiffel Tower at that time, but really loved the galettes au chocolat from a street vendor nearby. We lived outside Orleans for some time one summer, literally within rock tossing distance of the Loire, with friends in an old presbytery, and the patisserie was just across the way. Brendan discovered Tintin (I'll never forget missing him one morning, and searching, and finding him in the attic, four floors up, stark naked, reading Tintin in French, rapt. He was barely six.), they organized expeditions for pain au chocolat and chevre at the epicerie next door, and adored fresh batons (we call them baguettes here), which were about a quarter each. They picked bouquets of red poppies sur le rive for Mme. Bernadette and Mama. In Ireland we lived in the country under the Mournes. They rode donkeys in the field, collected shells on the strand, and haggled with red-faced, Aran-jumpered old fishermen for plaice in the harbour.
Those inimitable, irreplaceable experiences were worth every penny and calorie of effort. And they remember...  

For summer reading, anything by Peter Mayle can't be beat.
Just sayin...

I need to watch My Dinner With Andre again. I really think my synapses are overloaded, and I need to SLOW DOWN...

DPR: Brownies are always welcome, not just on holidays.  But yours sounds good, too.
 
Olivia: I'm a complete Peter Mayle fan.  I have never made it through the description of the goat race without laughing.

Mayle's books and Olivia's desrciptions are probably as close to being in France as I'll be and they are both wonderful guides and worth the trip.  Almost like being there.  You all have a great 4th just in case our paths don't cross 'till the 5th.  We'll be watching the fireworks from the Fox River tomorrow night. Peace out.

Dinner with Andre will definitely slow you down...just kidding oliva. But it certainly had that effect on me...
zzzzzz!

Peter, I'll be looking to the south for your fireworks.  Up here, we will watch from a boat -- they shoot them off from a platform sort of thing on the lake, over the harbor. It's definitely an "ooh" and "ahh" experience.  I like the red ones.

...and the silver white, diamond-looking ones.  Who "designs" fireworks, anyhow?  How?  Anyone got a clue?

Totally off topic, but just a giggle for you all: if you've never read Ian Frazier, here's an introduction sure to tickle/
 
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/97feb/frazier/frazier.htm
 
 

Olivia, that article is priceless.  My mouth hurts from laughing -- it got more than a giggle from me.  I love the "peas" (3 -- no more no less and then ye shall have dessert), the rules of the highchair (keep feet down and off the table) -- and the screaming.  I had to laugh out loud hard at that.  We'll be "entertaining" a 2 and almost-4 year old tomorrow, and oh the fits we have when food touches!  The five year old is over it, almost, but he won't touch peas.  Kids, gotta love 'em.  I mean, we were all them, once, and I'm sure we were utterly adorable each and every one of us.

I am so conflicted about declarations, independence, and revolutions....  Declarations are always written by long-winded types (like me!) who cause problems for folks who didn't even know anyone was declaring anything.  As for independence, it always seems the word means the sheep turning from one shepherd to another shepherd (and you know the reasons shepherds love sheep: wool and mutton, mmmmmmm).  As for revolutions, well, I sure hope I don't even need to talk about that!  Try launching one against Washington, D.C. and see how far you and your AK-47 armed buddies get to invading Capitol Hill and announcing 'a new world order'.   

Now, nationalism is another thing.... I had a fascinating discussion on Wednesday with a (lady) Chinese engineer from Shanghai who works in Methodist Hospital.  She told me the nationalism she finds in China terrifies her.  And living in Houston in the years after 9/11, I think I know what she means.... floodgates open to hatred of foreigners.  I'm currently out-of-favor with most of my Humanist friends and acquintances because I point out that I find that most places I've lived are filled with cute kids, moms who worry about their kids, and dads who are trying to take care of the kids and their mom....  It's sad (in my opinion) that people love 'nations' (granfalloons, for sure!).  And when folks restrict their loyalties to a bunch of geography bounded by a line to the north, a line and a river to the south, and a bunch of waves and water to the east and to the west -- that just seems very arbitrary to me!

Olivia- I have finished the Bonfiglioli trilogy so comment away!  The last of the books was my least favorite. 
 
Funny about the sailing thing.  My family has always sailed. My dad grew up sailing Star boats on Lake Michigan. Us kids were really impressed when he told us he sank one there. Back when you could let kids do this...my parents shoved us onto the Sunfish and waved goodbye and didn't expect to see us until dinner time.  I think at eight years old I was sailing across our lake alone.  At 12, my brother shang-haied me into crewing on his Lightning, a 3 man boat.  Then, I raced with my dad for many years.  I've just recently started racing with him again.  At our ripe ages, we're much mellower on the race course and enjoy it much more.  ANyhow, I have always crewed and never captained.  But, as one enters one's 40s, one is much more willing to throw caution to the wind and just DO it. But being the skipper does require a whole different outlook on the water and it's not easy to get my synapses working that way after all these years but damn, it's dead fun!
 
International travel, if you can do it, is a wonderful way to develop your child's mind.  They become even more curious.  They become aware that there are radically different ways to do things.  They realize that WE are not the only ones on earth.  And if you're really lucky, your child turns out to be a stout and utterly pleasant traveling companion, like mine did.
 
 
 
 

Lest anyone think I don't 'Love America', wrong... I love England; I love America; I love Mexico; I love Spain; I love Thailand.... Maybe it's just that I'm a polygamist at heart.

On the eve of Independence Day, this breaking news absolutely thrilled me. It seems that Sarah Palin, "for the sake of Alaska," two years into her term of governor as announced her resignation in a disjointed mess of a speech. I'm hoping it carries over to all forms of politics. I wish her a long a happy life, just not in any elected office.

My son worries me a bit... as many here know, he, his wife, and my two grandsons live in Tokyo.  He's very happy there, though he is lucidly conscious of the dark side of Japan (and Japan's dark sides match those of America!).  What worries me a bit is that he told me he once woke up from a nightmare:  he dreamt he no longer lived in Japan, but was back in the States.  That disappointed me.... living in a country is a lot like being married to a woman (and I suspect many women would say the same about a man).  You overlook the faults.  You forgive the lapses.  You see the 'babe' long lost to time and the ravages of life. You remember the good times.  You block out the horrible times.  AND...... vice versa with those who have left/spurned/deserted/sabotaged you....  He should know he'd be forced to 'Love America' if he came back here.  It's just part of human nature to get used to the familiar...... and to idealize it.  Countries are like spouses.... Since we know no other, we assume ours is the best there is, and resent evidence to the contrary.

Gia!  I saw that "bombshell" and wondered how I was going to endure her race for the W.H.My list of people who's speeches I mute or change over to the Weather Channel when I see their faces -- well, it's a really really long list.  And today, I add Ms. Palin's.  What's the deal with the USA, do we just let anyone run for President?  Just joking, joking. Happy Fourth, Eyes!

Oh Doc, how I have missed you!  Your comparison of citizenship to marriage is absolutely priceless.  And oh so true.  The only difference is that, unlike in Soviet Russia, an American visiting foreign countries is not guilty of infidelity.  And your reference to the sheep is a very good point, also reminding me of the wonderful quote:
 
Democracy is four wolves and a lamb debating what's for lunch.
 
Park4, "Do we just let anyone run for President?"  Absolutely, a thousand times, yes yes yes.

Gia: That news made my day today. 

I too have struggled with todays topic, agreeing to a large degree with Karma Swim but also appreciating the greatness of the words and the struggle that produced them and the men who wrote them and the nation the ideas grew into, flaws and all.  And Mark you keep re-entering.
Tomorrow brings a horde of teenagers to the house, first for quick hot dogs and salad and then up to a hill to watch 5 or six fireworks displays below.  A few stray parent stay and there will be better eats for them.  Fun and relaxing, providing my stepdaughter remembers she has to help with the cleaning.

Thanks Michael, now I'm passing the ball (as she said) to another member of the Eye.   

And a happy 4th to all of you, its a very happy one here.  Congrats on the race Shando, and congrats to all of us not having to put up with Sarah in another.  I wish her luck finding a career in late night television.

Shandy-That's just what I was going to say! I wondered if you'd found a distinct difference in the last book, a change of tone, a darker and more sinister, more negative Bonfigliori, as if he'd had some calamity and was working it out in the book. It went from delightful to depressing, down down down, with one bad thing after another occurring to the end of the story. I felt like PG Wodehouse had turned over the last novel to some odd combination of Raymond Chandler and  Edgar Allan Poe, is about as close as I can get. Interesting that you felt it too!
I'm currently deep into Galapagos, by Kurt Vonnegut. Quirky doesn't begin to describe it, but funny and thought-provoking too.
Busy busy busy...

DPR:  When I wrote "Do we let just anyone run for President" my tongue was firmly planted in my cheek.  But you knew that -- didn't you?