Thursday, October 14, 2010

Our Lives, Our Fortunes, and Our Sacred Honor

This one came about from a school assignment for my home school support group. For government class, we were supposed to write a speech on whether or not we would sign the Declaration of Independence, and why. I wrote it, but never gave it. It was late at night, and I had been struggling with making it something other than an explanation of what the Declaration was, so I was talking to my mother about it. She told me to find a few things in the document that really struck me as crucial, and would cause me to risk everything by signing a treasonous document. What follows hereafter is the product.
                                                                                                                            
       When the question of signing the Declaration of Independence arises, I believe that the answer must be approached with the utmost caution and understanding. To sign this document was to commit treason. Our Founding Fathers risked everything, their fortunes, their families, and ultimately, their lives. Many of them lost their children and wives, but still refused to recant. It would be a humbling thing to be allowed to sign my name with those men, and it would be an opportunity I wouldn't pass up.
        What would compel me to sign something that could cause the death of my family? I would sign it because I would not have my children and grandchildren to live in fear.
         I could not be at peace with strangers coming to live in my home, and eat the food that my family needed to survive. If I had children, I would be in constant worry, not knowing how honorable those men were, if at all. To have a soldier, or any other person above the law, to commit murder and other atrocities without being justly rewarded is an unspeakable wrong.
       For American sailors and soldiers to be taken captive at sea by their mother country, to be forced to serve and fight against their own people, family, and friends or face death is not able to be stood!
       But when these things are brought before the government that is supposed to protect us, the issues are flippantly ignored, or made worse. For these reasons, I would dissolve any bands that constrain me to bear these things. For these reasons, I would give my life.
     "And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."
                                                                                                                          

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Remember My Name

This is a short piece that is the result of a writing prompt.

                         
 Remember My Name

 Remember my name. When the darkness descends and your solitude becomes
 bitter,  look back, remember. The first time you saw me, how nervous you made
 me when you  said hello. Those sweet summer days we spent together, the winter 
evenings when you would come over to have dinner with my family. Do you 
remember that first Christmas? You helped decorate the tree and then tried to 
sneak some sweets out of the kitchen, while my mother and sisters were baking. 
The evening we spent under my father's watchful eye.
 Remember, and let the memories warm and comfort you. Remember how long it
 took for you to actually call me by my name, and don't forget, don't let it be
 snatched away from you. No matter where you go, remember my name.