Walking the freedom trail

ndm

Slavery is the one word denial of "[w]e hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

The inability of the Founders to understand their own prejudices with respect to slavery - both social and commercial - has left a stain on the United States that is still visible today.

The United States would be a better place had the Founders implemented the intent of these words instead of allowing them to remain mere platitudes.

Verity

There is a certain type of Briton in whose veins flows bile occasioned by the fact that America took over from us as the most powerful nation. The people who hate it most are those who have never breathed the fresh air of liberty in their lives.

The Declaration of Independence still sounds bold and purposeful, and rather radical, even today on America's 232bd birthday.

To any Americans reading this thread, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!

Andrew Cadman

The so-called 'Special Relationship' is a complete myth invented by the British elite who simply cannot stand the fact that we don't count for all that much anymore. Its myth is especially prevalent amongst the public school educated elite who, having been taught they are entitled a place at life's top table, delude themselves there is something 'special' in the relationship and we have power and influence we simply dont have..

Its not a question of disliking America, but a cold and rationale reading of history of 20th century history shows that whenever our interests clashed, America treated us ruthlessly. No more so, in fact, than in James unfortunate example about the war on fascism. In sober fact, the lend-lease agreement bled us white while we fought desperately for our freedom. America saw it as a simple profit making opportunity - 'a very nice little list', Roosevelt said, as we handed over all our investments. Furthermore, America only came into the European war after Hitler declared war on them, and otherwise may well have stayed neutral throughout.

Most British people are not anti-American. I would, however, say the biggest single thing that leads to anti-American resentment in this country is the pathetically slavish attitude of our political leaders and members of the commentariat who insist against all historical evidence that a special relationship exists when the vast majority of British people know there is none.

ndm

Verity -

Thanks for the birthday greetings.

ndm

I would be surprised if more than one American in a thousand had any clue what the "special relationship" is. I suspect quite a few might venture that it concerns Israel - a relationship which garners far more press coverage than does the one with Britain.

Verity

Obamacrat?

TomTom

Surely the mainstay of the "American Revolution" was Presybyterian Scots who formed the bulk of their armies.

The reasons for revolt were being obliged to pay for the defence of the empire in the Seven Years War and that the Dutch, Spanish and French aided the Colonists in fighting their common enemy in The Crown of England ?

Isn't it really a tale of opportunism, of Franklin eliciting the support of France against England much as the Scots had done for centuries in "the Auld Alliance"

Ray

Contrast the American Declaration of Independence's succinct and poetic resume of what good government is all about with the reams and reams and unfathomable twaddle that is the EU 'Constitution' (oops, I mean 'Treaty').

God bless America - truly "the land of the free and the home of the brave"!

canon alberic

Never met an American I didnt like and who didnt make me think of the Enlightenment - God Bless America.

Verity

Ray and Canon Alberic - America is still free compared with the servitude in which Britain is held, but the left is on the march there, too - especially, ironically, using the courts, which are based on the laws of liberty.

But at this moment, America is still a wonderful construct.

Lisa Miles

What a nice blog and lovely comments. We Americans love you British for so many reasons. We think of you as our friends and allies. We love your history, your style, your culture, your manners and mannerisms. You would find it very difficult to find an American who doesn't love the Brits. We are proud of our country, yes, but we see many things in your country that we admire greatly.

There is talk that America has taken over the most powerful nation status. Well, don't underestimate yourselves! What you have to offer the world is unique and valuable. I wouldn't want to live in a world without the British sensibility, tact, order and tenacity. You have that certain something that our world needs now more than ever.

PSJ

Hmm, not sure the treasonous Dec of Ind would survive a modern fisking. For example, "all men are created equal" is a blatant untruth. How are they equal? Equally strong, equally tall, equally intelligent? Whatever, it was certainly no reason for British colonists to turn traitor.

They lost any remaining traces of my sympathy when they invited the French in.

No, America didn't have promising beginnings. It's amazing that they have built such a great country on the back of that.

Ray Griffin

To MDM: The fact that it took America many more years to live up to the high ideals of its Declaration of Independence does not invalidate the document nor the ideal.

The Welsh Jacobite

Dangerous left-wing cant.

Verity

TomTom, derisvely: "Isn't it really a tale of opportunism?"

What is history but a long tale of opportunism? Get a grip.

Ray Griffin - agreed.

Verity

ndm writes: "I would be surprised if more than one American in a thousand had any clue what the "special relationship" is."

I would be surprised if a Briton in a thousand had the faintest notion, either. So what? They are not the ones ordering events on either side of the Atlantic.

Kevyn Bodman

I am very pro-American. I recognise its flaws and I have met Americans I don't like, but the virtues FAR outweigh the vices.
One of my favourite photos is of me in front of the wall in Richmond,Va. where the quote from the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom is displayed.
I've never bothered to read their constitution in full, but I am in awe of the Bill of Rights.

I walked the Freedom Trail in Boston, and had something of a history lesson from a friend there who is an open Republican in Boston.
But our friends the Americans don't always share our sense of humour. The local NFL team is named after the patriots, my suggestion that that they should be named the New England Seditionists was not well received. But the friendship survived.