Declaration of Independence, U.S. Government Archive image.
Hey readers worldwide, we’re celebrating our U.S. Independence holiday this weekend. “The 4th” is the day we adopted our “Declaration of Independence,” declaring our intent to be a sovereign nation instead of vassals to England. Hard to believe that in 1776 we were subjugated by an occupying army of “Red Coats,” and that something like 35,000 Brits sailed into New York City after pen hit the paper of the Declaration. Our revolutionary war ensued, and the last of the British didn’t leave New York till around 1783 — signifying the end of the conflict.
Yeah, it took a while for us to get closer to the ideals we presented in the Declaration, and we’re still working on perfection. Nonetheless, to even have this poetically worded document as foundational to our culture is in my opinion nothing less than a stunner.
How does it all relate to ski touring? In one sense any recreation is frivolous when it comes to issues such as freedom from tyranny. On the other hand, modern civilization such as that of North America, EU, Scandinavia and others produces a bounty of productivity — thus yielding the time and freedom for our dreams. It’s all a work in progress and the setbacks are heart breaking. Yet overall, I take the positive view that freedom marches and will prevail.
So, happy 4th everyone!
The first couple of paragraphs:
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness…
And here is a take on the Declaration from a “global perspective.”
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.
