Our Great Title is AMERICANS

First Published on 4 July 2008

Independence Day Reflections

One stirring recitation of our Declaration is the 2002 short documentary released by Declaration of Independence, Inc., hosted by Morgan Freeman and starring several notable actors including Mel Gibson, Micheal Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Rene Zellweger, Whoopie Goldberg and others.

"Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular state is only our local distinction. By the latter we are known at home, by the former to the world. Our great title is AMERICANS" -- Thomas Paine

Another is the updated Fox Sports short (the original 2002 version is here) starring current and past players and coaches of the NFL and actors portraying Thomas Jefferson and other Declaration signers and from which the title of this post is taken.

The passion with which we Liberty loving Americans hold our land may be heard in the voice of Kate Smith singing Irving Berlin's great God Bless America. Also inspiring is Smith's performance and the cinematic production from This is the Army (1943). Look for a younger Ronald Reagan at the end of the clip.


In the news yesterday came the announcement that the childhood home of George Washington had been found that will provide more insight into the formative years of the Father of our Nation.

A book I just started reading is 1776 by David McCullogh. It begins with King George III's address to parliament

"I shall never forget what I felt...when I saw him brave all the dangers of the field and his important life hanging as if by a single hair with a thousand deaths flying all around him. Believe me, I thought not of myself." --A young officer on Washington's courage during the battle at Clarke's Farm

declaring America to be in rebellion and continues through the Christmas victories for Washington and his Army at Trenton and Princeton.

Washington and the other Founding Fathers started what has become an American tradition of service and sacrifice that continues today with our service men and women defending Liberty across the globe. Today is the anniversary of the birth of our great nation. Our great title is AMERICANS.