[MD] Celebration on the 4th

[plattholden at gmail.com]

Hi All,

In the U.S. today we're celebrating the birth of our nation as documented 
in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. During the day 
I was reminded of Pirsig's prophetic words in Lila:

"All the laws of history, all the arguments, all the Constitutions and 
the Bills of Rights and Declarations of Independence are nothing more 
than instructions to the military and police. If the military and police can't 
or don't follow these instructions properly they might as well have never 
been written." (Lila, 24)

What prompted me to remember this passage was the following from 
our local paper today:

Freedom Isn't Free

It is the veteran not the preacher who has given us freedom of      
religion. 

It is the veteran not the reporter who has given us freedom of the      
press. 

It is the veteran not the poet who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the veteran not the community organizer who has given us 
freedom to assemble.

It is the veteran not the lawyer who has given us a right to a free trial.

It is the veteran not the politician who has given us the right to vote. 


To many Americans and others around the world, past and present, 
the values described above are the highest values of all. To ensure their 
continuance our military and police risk their lives every day. To me that 
is the meaning of the 4th. 

Regards,
Platt