Chapter 77.5: Thoughts on Independence Day

The other day, I read a great editorial from a somewhat unexpected source: William Kristol.

I'd not considered the idea, for example of reading the full Declaration of Independence aloud on July 4th, though it's not only perfectly appropriate, but perhaps something that should become customary.

William Kristol is not someone I read with regularity. I don't think of myself as inherently conservative, though I see some conservativism within me -- mostly on the financial side. Rather, I consider myself a moderate, though I tend to vote Democratic. Still, Kristol's piece is more about America as a political entity rather than as looking at it as either liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican.

As Kristol writes: "...the declaration itself notes, 'all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.' The people are conservative. Liberty sometimes requires the bold leadership of a few individuals."

In general I agree.

A friend of mine who is a consultant for nonprofit organizations once told me that his basic formula finds that the number of leaders within a group (even a group of leaders) is effectively equal to the square root of the total number.

That makes Thomas Jefferson's experience even more amazing. If the recent John Adams biopic on HBO is to be believed — and it was based on David McCullough's well researched history of the man — then Jefferson was not the most likely person to write the Declaration. Indeed, he appeared to be mostly standoffish and unengaged. Yet this man became the third president of the United States, to say nothing of his standing as the second vice president, serving in John Adams' administration.

And it helps identify this country as a wonderful aberration in history: A country that believes enough in the people to encourage even those who might not see the greatness within themselves to stand up and voice their conscience. God Bless America. Happy Fourth, everyone!