Sunday, July 4, 2010

US Independence Day: The Declaration: Part 7

He has abdicated government here,
by declaring us out of his protection
and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas,
ravaged our coasts,
burned our towns,
and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time
transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries
to complete the works
of death, desolation and tyranny,
already begun with circumstances
of cruelty and perfidy
scarcely paralleled
in the most barbarous ages,
and totally unworthy
the head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow citizens
taken captive on the high seas
to bear arms against their country,
to become the executioners
of their friends and brethren,
or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us,
and has endeavored to bring
on the inhabitants of our frontiers,
the merciless Indian savages,
whose known rule of warfare,
is undistinguished destruction
of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions
we have petitioned for redress
in the most humble terms:
our repeated petitions
have been answered only by repeated injury.
A prince,
whose character is thus marked
by every act which may define a tyrant,
is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.


Kate Smith introducing God Bless America

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