Today is Independence Day in the United States. For the first time since I moved to Austin, I went to Auditorium Shores this evening to watch the fireworks and listen to the symphony. It's not that I haven't witnessed fireworks here before - I just haven't taken part in the traditional Austin downtown celebration - until today. Cool stuff.
Welcome to a special July 4th edition of the Rhubarb Report. It would only be appropriate on a day like today to find some patriotic rhubarb and to share a few thoughts on what makes this country what it is. We live in a country founded on freedom, and there are plenty of powers-that-be that would gladly tear it asunder if we let them do so.
So sit back, relax, raise a toast to the United States, and enjoy the latest episode of the Rhubarb Report.
1. The Committee Of Five - Sherman, Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, and Livingston - were given the task of drafting the Declaration of Independence. It was adopted by the Continental Congress and the country declared independence from Great Britain.
Step back and ponder this for a moment. Declaring independence from Great Britain was one hell of a gutsy move from a small yet dedicated group of individuals. It was a motion of solidarity, an epochal salvo in the American Revolution. Funny, that sounds like the equivalent of an "angry mob" to me - and then some.
Wait a second. Isn't that the phrase Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst used to describe the protesters that spoke up in response to SB5?
There was a time when an angry mob was a significant part of the American Revolution. We were ok with it defining the future of the nation. Let's not forget its significance now.
2. Speaking of the now-legendary "angry mob", let's make note of another important part of democracy - legislative process. There are parliamentary procedures that must be followed. You can't unilaterally subvert the rules. There are checks and balances.
Last week's now-famous filibuster by Senator Wendy Davis provoked what I can only describe as an ugly display of partisan politics and a disregard for process. Angry mob? Let's not forget that the lieutenant governor has the capacity to control their presence in the Senate gallery - not at midnight, but long before so if necessary. Oh, and there is the "small" question of whether a time stamp was manipulated to show that the bill had passed before the midnight deadline when it did not, in fact, do so. Oh, politics.
In order for us to maintain the foundations of democracy, we must have rules and follow them consistently, day in and day out. Democracy is bigger than any one of us. Once again, something to not be forgotten - regardless of which side of ANY particular issue you are on.
3. Finally, I am at a loss about the presence of some issues in the legislative realm that simply shouldn't be a part of the political discussion. Why do religious or moral or personal ethics issues continue to cloud our political policies? Just where does that distinct line exist between "church" and "state"? And how about that First Amendment protection of freedom of speech and expression?
Why can't we just let bygones be bygones and let government, well, govern? Oh, maybe that’s the problem these days.
Photo credits: Wikipedia
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