Past vs. Present

**dj5481** · July 5th, 2013, 07:13 PM

I was watching America: The History of us on History yesterday and it got me thinking. How come people glorify what our forefathers did (which they should); committed treason, stand up for their rights, and not be mistreated by government. However, the same people will criticize those with the same thoughts today. In today's world the idea of doing what the founding fathers did is looked down upon however it is somehow ok that they did it. Has anyone else realized this, or am I alone with this thought.

**Totez** · July 5th, 2013, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by dj5481

I was watching America: The History of us on History yesterday and it got me thinking. How come people glorify what our forefathers did (which they should); committed treason, stand up for their rights, and not be mistreated by government. However, the same people will criticize those with the same thoughts today. In today's world the idea of doing what the founding fathers did is looked down upon however it is somehow ok that they did it. Has anyone else realized this, or am I alone with this thought.

Because it is easy to look into the past, see the black and white we've made it in the history books, and say:

England was bad and America made itself because of this. Those guys did good things.

In the modern day we don't have the luxury of studying who is good and who is bad from a text book or television.

Most people are too damn stupid to figure out how to understand the assault on our liberties in real-time.

**General Geoff** · July 5th, 2013, 07:20 PM

History is written by the victors. When it comes down to it, humans are bound to nature's law just like all other animals. Might makes right.

**dj5481** · July 5th, 2013, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by Totez

Because it is easy to look into the past, see the black and white we've made it in the history books, and say:

England was bad and America made itself because of this. Those guys did good things.

In the modern day we don't have the luxury of studying who is good and who is bad from a text book or television.

Most people are too damn stupid to figure out how to understand the assault on our liberties in real-time.

I just don't understand how people don't see any similarities between what happened then and what is currently happening. Now it is no where near as bad as it was with England however, there are many things that our government is currently doing that England did before the Revolution

**dosequis** · July 5th, 2013, 08:01 PM

During the American revolution, a good percentage of the colonists were sympathetic to the Crown, they were the Tories, and were probably equal in number to the rebels at the start.

While Washington & his crew holed up at Valley Forge for the winter, the Redcoats were living (and enjoying) the good life in Philadelphia.

Benedict Arnold and his wife started out on different sides of the issue...and there is plenty more. One of Pennsylvania's own representatives to the Continental Congress - John Dickinson - refused to sign the Declaration of Independence, but once it was signed, Mr. Dickinson signed up with the Continental Army & fought against the British.

The history we all got taught in school is a pretty stripped down, whitewashed version of the past. The real stories are much more complex once you read up on them.

**arjohnson** · July 5th, 2013, 08:10 PM

The way this country is today is that your dammed if you do and your dammed if you don't.

**JenniferG** · July 5th, 2013, 11:50 PM

The ruling class are now the same as the Tories and the Crown. They have made themselves the privileged and with us complaining about their abuse of power and violating the Constitution we have become a threat to their comfortable positions and positions of power. They thrive off of subjucating as many individuals as possible making them reliant on them for handouts. Any tallk of upsetting this order of things makes us no different than the Continentals were to the Brits and Tories. If they're pitching a bitch about all this talk, we're saying the right things.

**Metz** · July 6th, 2013, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by dosequis

One of Pennsylvania's own representatives to the Continental Congress - John Dickinson - refused to sign the Declaration of Independence, but once it was signed, Mr. Dickinson signed up with the Continental Army & fought against the British.

Well, he couldn't really fight against british before that, since he was british himself. They were all british. And loyal to a degree. They had the very same problem we are debating now. What would we do if we'll need to stand against OUR army. Since redcoats WERE in fact their army.

I laugh every time, when I see (geico?) commercial, with the phone call "british are coming". Not british came for the rebels, who were british themselves, but "regulars".

**win67** · July 6th, 2013, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by dj5481

Now it is no where near as bad as it was with England however

No.

They let us have not only military guns, but artillery. They didn't have zoning ordinances. They let most people keep most of their money. They didn't ask any questions when it came to the informal economy, which would have been almost everything in an agrarian society. They didn't read and intercept our communications in peacetime.

Read the Declaration's list of indictments against George III and tell me if there's one thing on it that the current government doesn't do (in its modern equivalent).

**JenniferG** · July 6th, 2013, 12:50 AM

laugh every time, when I see (geico?) commercial, with the phone call "british are coming".

The punch line for the commercial is "Happy as Paul Revere with a cell phone" I can't help but think yeah, Paul would have been pretty happy but he would be even happier if someone else had one so he could call them.