Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Tidbit From "1776"

Currently I am reading "1776" by David McCullough. It is a sort of documentary book on the year that saw our country formed. It is written in much the same style as Colleen McCullough's "First Man in Rome" series, but it doesn't have the personal family dialogues of the famous people. It is excellently written.

The story begins during 1775, at the beginning of the Revolution, with Boston besieged by the Continental Army. I remarked upon one thing as I read it. Those loyal to King George II were crammed in the city, and they referred to the Revolutionary Army as "The Country Folk."

America in one way was the same in 1775 as today. Those who craved to be led by a European tyrants and emulate them lived in the major metropolitan areas, whereas the "Country Folk" craved something better, and were willing to fight for it. The Liberals in the Blue areas seek to follow the lead of France and Germany. "I'm not into America" as one of my Boston-area classmates put it back in High School.

Those of us in the outlying areas, now called "Flyover Country" are the true keepers of the Heritage of the Revolution. Our Liberal Urban cousins have forgotten it. Is America to be America, or a province of Europe?

Some things never change.

Also, this "deist" army held daily prayers and there is a record of a man being flogged for causing a public disturbance during them on one occasion.

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