A Message from the Founders.

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."

233 Years of Mistakes--It's time to return to England!

I've always thought if we could transport the founding fathers forward in time their reaction would be "fuck it, we're better off as a part of Britain" and just go back home.

If they had any doubts, I could take them to this quaint village that Mudflap Bubbas Found! I'm sure that would persuade them of the error of their ways far more effectively than a nuclear strike on Lexington and Concord ever would.

Why, because most of them would be appalled at how the US has turned out. The fact that the Constitution has been perverted so that something like the Second Amendment which was to ensure a Swiss style military has become a farce with the out of control military and people yammering about gun rights. Add in the fools who say this country was founded as a Christian nation.

Somebody should tell these people about Congregation Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia. Does Haym Solomon sound very Christian to you??? He was a prime financier of the American side during the American Revolutionary War. Jews have been in the US since the mid-17th Century with Jews playing a key role in the Revolution.

How would they feel to learn that Britain had a Jewish Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli (nevermind he converted to Christianity, there's always hope), whereas it was a tough road to get a Catholic as US President! Would the Jewish "patriots" change their support to England if they saw people who say this country is a Christian nation?

We could get into the reaction to Shays' Rebellion and how "Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty as well as the abuses of power". The problem is that by making a break from Britain in the way they did, they created a very bad precedent. Even though the Constitution was written to clarify the situation, there are still some who believe in the insurrection theory despite its not having a constitutional basis.

Break from England, it's a very bad idea!

We can get into the misunderstanding of history presented by the "tea party" crowd. Whatever the fuck it is that they believe. I know it doesn't have anything to do with clotted cream and scones.

An even more interesting point is that the American rebels saw themselves as British and were demanding that they be properly treated as British Citizens. They wanted a voice in the taxation policies. The cry wasn't "No taxation", but "No Taxation without Representation". The phrase captures a sentiment central to the cause of the English Civil War, as articulated by John Hampden who said “what an English King has no right to demand, an English subject has a right to refuse” in the Ship money case. The English Bill of Rights 1689 had forbidden the imposition of taxes without the consent of Parliament. The Colonials felt that they were deprived of this right since they had no direct representation in the British Parliament.

When people who frame themselves as patriots knock Britain, they should remember that the founders considered themselves to be British Subjects. The question would be would the founders if they were alive today feel more at home in the United States or in the United Kingdom?

I think they would be much more inclined toward England than Washington: and definitely frightened by some places in the hinterlands of the US. I've heard it said that the "patriots/rebels" had the better slogans, but the tories had much stronger arguments for remaining with Britain. Time has proven that the Tories were correct and that rebellion was a foolish choice.