taking liberties

as i have been plodding along recently in my readings, i have unconsciously stumbled into the 18th century. i didn't mean to, it just happened. it started with the tom hanks produced mini-series "john adams" with paul giamatti. as i watched i realized i knew very little about early american history. the later stuff, sure sure. but this business before photography is admittedly a weak area for me. and so, after watching the featurette with david mc cullough which followed the series i was wont for more and checked out his other book from the local library.
and as the end of june fast approached i began to realize my new studies were quickly coming to an intersection with the country's own prescribed date of birth. and it's interesting how much my perspective on all this has changed simply by spending a little time trying to get into the minds and ideas of some of the key figures involved in these events. sometimes it's difficult to get past the formal language, but if you hang in there you can sometimes get an idea of just how potent this idea was called independence.

"every age and generation must be free to act for itself, in all cases, as the ages and generations which preceded it. the vanity and presumption of governing beyond the grave, is the most ridiculous and insolent of all tyrannies. man has no property in man; nether has any generation a property in the generations which are to follow" - thomas paine