"When in the course of human events..."

I just realized that the last time I read through the Declaration of Independence was in high school. (I did have to memorize the first part.)

It used to be that 4th of July celebrations, in addition to fireworks, picnics, games, etc. always included a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. The holiday was established in the first place to celebrate the approval of this document by the Second Continental Congress.

I plan to read the Declaration on Monday, July 4, and invite all of you who live in the US to do the same. It is, after all, an integral part of our history! You'll find it here.

Nice reminder, Mouse. It's been a while since I read it, too. When I was little, and first read it (4th grade or so), I thought it strange that George Washington didn't sign it - but I finally realized he was busy commanding the Continental Army at the time.

When you read the whole thing, not just the stirring opening paragraph, the Declaration is a nice blend of high-minded principles and contemporary hot-button issues, reminding us that politics is always about solving today's problems within the framework of those principles.