Hard Light Productions Forums
Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: redmenace on July 04, 2006, 12:36:32 am
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IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
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, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & 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 endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an 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.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred. to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
— John Hancock
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton
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Enjoy it while you can. I've already made plans to travel back in time and stop this from ever taking place.
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That is probably the third most important document in modern republic history. 1st being the Constitution of the US and 2nd the Magna Carta.
Ever hear of the idea of destiny. Regaurdless of stopping it then, it was still an idea. The only way to make sure that never happened was too fix the underlying complaints and ****ing King George wasn't prepared to do that.
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Enjoy it while you can. I've already made plans to travel back in time and stop this from ever taking place.
Uh... do you really think the world would be a better place if the U.S. never declared independence?
...wait, don't answer that.
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PLEASE NO PISSY ARGUMENTS
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Imagine the world now, and then imagine the world where the US is still under the control of the British. Oh man, that'd be sooooo cool.
And for the record, a joke is no reason to start a political arguement or calling people anti-American [however subtle the labelling may be], watsisname. So si'down and shu'tup. :p
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Happy fourth of the July everyone.
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Besides the real funny part is that the British tried to take back control in 1812. ROFL :p
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Mefustae is there something you are not telling us?
http://timetravelerrevolution.ytmnd.com/
http://timetraveler.ytmnd.com/
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Yeah, yeah, keep laughing, laughing man. You'll find it real funny when I manipulate time to crown myself as Supreme Overlord of the Earth!!
Well, enough of divulging my supar-secret plans for world domination via temporal manipulation, enojy the fireworks you American pigs! :p
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Enjoy it while you can. I've already made plans to travel back in time and stop this from ever taking place.
can we keep this jackass free
Happy July 4th all
let's get slutty drunk and blow **** up
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OH NOES! MY TEAS! :p
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If I don't get presents it's not a holiday.
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can we keep this jackass free
Y'know, jackasses have feelings too. :sigh:
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Well, I just finished watching The Patriot, Saving Private Ryan, and Independence Day all in a row. I'm going to go get some sleep now, but happy 4th to the merry-cans.
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You forgot to watch we were soldiers, full metal jacket, and platoon
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True, but I only did start at about eight my time, and it's 3 AM now. Those are good ones though, and I've marked them on my list of movies to watch later today.
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You forgot to watch we were soldiers, full metal jacket, and platoon
Full Metal Jacket? Yeah, that one really gets the patriotic blood flowing....
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Bloody colonial rebels
:P :)
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yeah i know, Its a shame all their military stemmed from british spin-offs.
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You forgot to watch we were soldiers, full metal jacket, and platoon
Full Metal Jacket? Yeah, that one really gets the patriotic blood flowing....
:lol: Regaurdless it has Lee Emery which boosts the cool factor
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Well, I just finished watching The Patriot, Saving Private Ryan, and Independence Day all in a row. I'm going to go get some sleep now, but happy 4th to the merry-cans.
Oh, is it the Fox News pre-election Movie Marathon?
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*Gathers the hundreds of dollars worth of blatantly illegal fireworks he's purchased*
:D
"God I love America!" :P
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from good ol' South Carolina, the "missing fingers" state!
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Bloody colonial rebels
:P :)
If it meant I get an X-Wing crossed with a Viper, I'd be more than happy to change nationality ;)
Happy 4th July America :)
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Try not to blow up to much of yourselves while celebrating. :p ;)
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Happy Independance Day *cough* :D
(http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/2489/6boom.png)
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(http://puppethead.com/blog/archives/2003/misc/bush_hitler.jpg)
Sincere congrats to YooEss AY !!
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hoboy.
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I will totally be shocked if people around here resist commenting about the image.
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Would I be shouted down for saying I actually find that rather humerous?
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You know, it's kind of funny. My dad looks alot like Hitler, except his ears are bigger and his moustache is the regular kind. Plus he doesn't have the kickin' rad styled hair.
Happy 4th, fellow citizens of the greatest nation on Earth.
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Well, I just finished watching The Patriot, Saving Private Ryan, and Independence Day all in a row. I'm going to go get some sleep now, but happy 4th to the merry-cans.
Oh, is it the Fox News pre-election Movie Marathon?
Oh ho, you are fun----neh.
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Tonight I plan to go up to the highest point in my county and shoot a pooled together bunch of fireworks. Then, either before or after that, I'm going to the "official" show.
Funny thing is, you'll be able to see ours from where the official show is put on, as well as a busy local highway. :D
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can we keep this jackass free
Y'know, jackasses have feelings too. :sigh:
You forfeited any right to them when you become one. :p
I have cookouts to visit. Cya.
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If you're really concerned about blowing stuff up, you should all go play chapter 3 of Revenge: Final Conflict. There is a part in the briefing of one of the near-end missions which talks about it being customary on July 4th to "blow the roofs off their houses." :lol:
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No one has mentioned the best part of the 4th of July - Fireworks. I'd say what kind my family got, but I don't want to get arrested.
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I wouldn't worry about it. There's far more arrest-worthy stuff on HLP and no one's noticed yet. :D
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Here in New Mexico, very very nice fireworks display from my house on the footstep of the mountains. Imagine this, lots of fireworks PLUS a big lightning storm going off about ten miles away. Can you ask for a better pyrotechnics display?
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You know, those little bottle rockets can be so much fun. You can do just so much with them. I made something to shoulder launch them once, but it got lost somewhere along the line.
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That is probably the third most important document in modern republic history.
yes, just remember that while it's a very awesome document - it's lot a legal document as part of our government - it predates it.
(some fundies try to use it as a "See! see! christian nation!" ::))
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Not saying it is, other than it was an official letter of diplomatic importance. It was none the less an important document that outlined the grievences in an official manner. It might have some bearing of the mindset of the founding fathers as well as such pieces of literature as the works of John Locke and Thomas Paine. But these are not legal documents and have no bearing in a court of law. However, these same documents are the underlying philosophy and thinking behind the law. Though understanding and respect of these, understanding and respect of the constitution and its admendments is only enhanced.
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Happy belated 4th everyone.
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It was my birthday, not indepedance day. :p ;)
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*Sigh* Where is the sarcasm detector when you need one?
B4 i posted i looked at ur long ass first post (that is, if u started the topic) and it seemed right.
But your last comment made me reconciter and re read half this page. Dam you!
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The brits did worse than America's doing right now.
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Not if you're a white British Citizen. :p
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The brits did worse than America's doing right now.
Just give them a few years and they will catch up.
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*Sigh* Where is the sarcasm detector when you need one?
B4 i posted i looked at ur long ass first post (that is, if u started the topic) and it seemed right.
But your last comment made me reconciter and re read half this page. Dam you!
Hmmm.
OMFG ROFLMAO WTF etcetera.
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The brits did worse than America's doing right now.
:lol: Ohh I love it...
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The brits did worse than America's doing right now.
and?
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sorry for the Offtopic, but since this is the topic nuclear is active in: get on msn, pal. need to discuss some "missions."
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My favorite right is the one that allows people to spell independence "independance."
:nervous:
kidding... happy 4th everyone!