The title of this post is a well known quote from Patrick Henry, taken from his speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses on March 23, 1775. That quote has always carried special meaning for me, begining back in the 6th grade where I remember having to do a book report on the Virginia statesman.
And it occurs to me that I’m lucky because having exiled from Cuba at the age of three assured that I would be educated in this country, and apart from that education being propaganda and indoctrination free, it afforded me knowledge of the history of this country and of the great men and women who played important roles in same.
I recalled Patrick Henry last night, as well as John Paul Jones and Thomas Jefferson, The Boston Tea Party and John Hancock and other people and events I first learned in History class as a kid as I watched the HBO series “John Adams.”
I know there are quite a few Babalu readers out there that came to the US either as an adult or a teenager and thus never formally learned about the Revolutionary War and all its players. I urge you all to maybe use this HBO series as a starting point because – despite the many flaws people perceive this country to have, historically and presently – it truly is an incredible, beautiful and inspiring history.
2 thoughts on “Give me liberty or give me death!”
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Henry was an interesting character. Post revolution, he was the leading spokesman in Virginia against ratification of the US Constitution because he was afraid against the federal government becoming too powerful. He felt that absent a bill of rights, the people were at the govt’s mercy.
The great debate then took place in the Virginia Ratification Convention between Henry and George Mason against ratification and James Madison for ratification.
A great read for those who have a penchant for US History is James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights.
I saw the 1st two installments of the Adams series. Well done. The book is still a must read. The series only scratches the surface of the amazing individual Adams was.
Saw John Adams on HBO and thought it was great…..actually I loved it…. it just makes me feel that someday or even right now in Cuba or in Exile Cubans are working on a free Cuba for our children…Even though I love the line…… “Before I die I want a country, a FREE country!” you gotta love it!