Dateline: Philadelphia, PA 13 Jan 2010.
Amazed tourists at Carpenters' Hall were surprised by the sudden appearance of a blue box marked "Police Public Call Box". Even more astounding was the appearance of 56 men in colonial dress from the box along with two men in modern dress and a small white dog.
The first man to speak identified himself as Patrick Henry. He explained that the group had been transported from 1774 to see what would become of their notion of Independence from Britain. Henry was extremely upset at misquotations made by "organisations such as The National Rifle Association and its ilk" regarding the ratification of the Constitution. "These remarks were in regard to the Militia and not private ownership of firearms".
Another man later identified as Samuel Adams said, "Rebellion against a king may be pardoned, or lightly punished, but the man who dares to rebel against the laws of a republic ought to suffer death. To claim that the Second Amendment gives you such a right is ludicrous. It was all about Standing Armies, we rebelled against standing armies. And those people who identify themselves as Teaparties have no idea what we were doing. I disown them."
All reiterated what the man identified as John Adams who said that "It must be made a sacred maxim, that the militia obey the executive power, which represents the whole people in the execution of laws. To suppose arms in the hands of the citizens, to be used at individual discretion, except in private self defense, or by partial orders of towns, counties, or districts of a state, is to demolish every constitution, and lay the laws prostrate, so that liberty can be enjoyed by no man is a dissolution of the government. The fundamental law of the militia is, that it be created, directed, and commanded by the laws, and ever for the support of the laws. If firearms prove mischievious to public safety, they should be banned." Adams reiterated the comment about Standing Armies.
All expressed a disgust for the interference of religion in politics. A man identified as George Washington said; "The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for giving to Mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection, should demean themselves as good citizens. To say that the United States is a Christian nation over a Moslem or Jewish nation is repugnant: it is a secular society."
The General consensus was that they were much better off under Britain and any thoughts of Independence were mere "wills-o'-the-Wisp". We intended to not have a standing army and the expense encumbant upon such an institution, yet people who claim to hate tyranny support it. They were amazed that modern Americans could agree to be taxed to support what the founders believed was tyranny: "How can one fight a war against Afghanistan, Iraq, or Balnibarbi when they pose no real threat to security?" They expressed shock that the British people had inquiries into these events, yet Americans blindly followed without question.
"The Tories are correct." one said, "True Britons shall never be slaves or submit to tyrrany. What Americans have become is not worthy of our efforts or our blood."
