The county we lived in ten years ago, went all out -- hosting a festival, dance and other activities at the fairgrounds.along with a splendid steam engine parade. The island we just left enjoyed a golf cart parade with veterans showcased, as well as the Sunshine Craft Festival before fireworks that evening.
But this time, we had to settle for a simple reading of the Declaration of Independence. My Indivisible chapter hosted it. Maybe a hundred people showed up, with a local author giving a quick review of Georgia's three representatives. George Walton was only twenty-seven when he signed while Lyman Hall was fifty-three. Both men later served as governors of the state and had counties named for them. (During Hall's term, the legislation creating the University of Georgia was passed: it is the first university in the country chartered by a state government.) Button Gwinnett, alas, had failed at business and farming before getting into politics. He might have done well politicking except that he died about a year after signing the Declaration. Seems he got into an argument with another notable Georgian that led to a duel, and they shot each other. McIntosh survived his wound; Gwinnett did not.
After the brief history lesson, several members (along with their children and grandchildren) each read a sentence or two of the document. When it began describing King George's terrible actions, I couldn't help but think they sounded awfully familiar. A lot like what this President has been doing, as a matter of fact! I later heard that NPR's tweeting of the entire declaration outraged this President's supporters who thought NPR was maligning him.
Finally, three naturalized Americans gave short summaries on what being an American meant to them. I was reminded again that all of us, unless we are pure native Americans, were immigrants or are descended from immigrants.
The gathering lasted less than an hour and was held in the lovely yard of a local restaurant. As far as I know, it was the only acknowledgement of how America came to be.
Here are some photos, courtesy of my guy.
This is the crowd gathering:
Some people had to sit on the ledge:
Others had to sit on the pavers:
This is the beginning of the line of readers:
If I remember correctly, this was the last reader:
And I believe this is one of the naturalized Americans:
