Knapsack: Preparing for the 2026 celebration of our nation's founding warrants reflection
This spring, I've had the pleasure of being involved with a series of programs, and an exhibit still up for you to see, at the Denison Museum. One of the co-sponsors of this is the America 250-Ohio Commission, preparing for the 2026 celebration of our nation's founding, in the passage of the Declaration of Independence.
Todd Kleismit and his merry minions have been hard at work for a while, and rightfully so, getting us to think about what got started in 1776. It all warrants some deeper reflection this year, let alone next.
It all went into motion June 7, 1776, when Richard Henry Lee introduced before the Continental Congress a resolution 'that these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states.' They appointed a Committee of Five to write an announcement explaining the reasons for declaring independence: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert R. Livingston and the primary drafter, Thomas Jefferson.
Knapsack: A few recurring thoughts about education
The delegates in Philadelphia had an idea of what they wanted to do, but they needed a clear set of arguments for why they could, in a world where monarchs and moguls held tight to the reins of power.
Jefferson's intent in his initial draft was to establish the right of the United States of America to take a place 'among the powers of the earth' as a free and independent nation. The Declaration immediately points to 'the separate and equal station to which the laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them,' setting up a case in which it could be said 'Nature's God' had established a basis of truth beneath their rationale for independence from Great Britain.
To that end, they affirm: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident.' Before we get to those truths, let's look at how they are known: by being 'self-evident.' Jefferson appeals to the potential reader of this declaration, and how any reasonable person might agree that it's beyond obvious '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.'
Knapsack: Arcades from Paris to Ohio — a pedestrian tour
Here's what's interesting. How self-evident is it that all of us are created equal? You could make a case from experience that it's evident some of us start with advantages, and it's been argued that this is the state of nature. But if a reader is tempted to go there, Jefferson has set you up to be tripped by a return to 'Nature's God,' pointing out that each soul is 'endowed by their creator with certain … rights.'
In 1776, it was an open question, just as it is to many today: does every human person, even all life, have an essence which is attached to or intrinsic within or endowed with an equal right to just treatment? In 1776, the vote was to affirm this somewhat radical concept, and it turns out the world was ready to affirm it in many locations around the globe (even if it's still up for debate in many quarters).
Those equally endowed rights, under law and in the light of heaven? They would be life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There is no natural cannon fodder or appropriate victim class. Life is a right. So is liberty, and Jefferson's own vexed and mixed record on slavery is complicated by how he tried to put a criticism of slavery in his declaration, but they were all removed by the time of final passage. A failure of nerve, a lack of consistency, which we also remember, and continue to wrestle with.
Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller and preacher in central Ohio; he's been thinking about the 250th anniversary of 1776 for a while now, and you'll hear more about it. Tell him what you think an unalienable right is at knapsack77@gmail.com, or follow @Knapsack77 on Threads or Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Knapsack: Reflecting on the Declaration of Independence
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The Hill
3 days ago
- The Hill
Whole Hog Politics: Land of Lincoln? Not so much for Red America
On the menu: Reconciliation bill still sinking with voters; New York mayoral muddle; DNC's chairman agonistes; Crowded field could save Cassidy; Don't sweat it Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here Today is West Virginia Day, the holiday celebrating the 35th state's admission to the union on June 20, 1863. We West Virginians are more eager to celebrate the formation of our own state than are the sons and daughters of most of the other 49. Some of this is genuine pride. I don't know a place more beautiful or a people more kind. Some of it is stubbornness. When your state is treated as a punchline by the rest of the country, you tend to stand up a little straighter so everyone can see that chip on your shoulder. But another piece of it is in the dubious nature of the state's creation. As our great patron, Abraham Lincoln, allowed, 'It is said the admission of West Virginia is secession, and tolerated only because it is our secession. Well, if we can call it by that name, there is still difference enough between secession against the Constitution, and secession in favor of the Constitution.' There's the rub. West Virginia was in 'favor of' the Constitution, but the Constitution couldn't be said to be exactly in favor of West Virginia. Ripping the 55 western counties of Virginia away from the mother state was, as the scholars would say, 'legal but not constitutional.' The Constitution forbids any state to be divided by the federal government against the wishes of its residents, and the residents of the eastern 99 counties surely would not have favored separation. But because Virginia was in rebellion and part of the Confederacy, the breakaway counties could petition Congress to be recognized as the legitimate government of Virginia and then undertake the process of statehood for the new entity. Under that convenient legal fiction, West Virginia had the legal standing to apply as both the separator and separatee. But the West Virginians were certainly seceding in favor of the spirit of the Constitution and the aims of the Declaration of Independence: Indivisible union and the liberty of its people, even those held as slaves at that moment. The celebration of West Virginia Day is, therefore, a fundamentally defiant act. Which makes this year's West Virginia Day celebration a little more complicated. For the first time since the establishment of the Juneteenth federal holiday on June 19, 2021, that holiday and West Virginia Day fall on a Thursday and a Friday, giving state and local workers in West Virginia a four-day weekend. That was until Gov. Patrick Morrissey last week canceled the state's observance of Juneteenth. He cited 'continued fiscal challenges,' but also nixed 'any formal activities' in observance of the holiday, suggesting that there was more at work than just belt tightening. Juneteenth is the celebration of another of Lincoln's lawyerly innovations during the Civil War. The Emancipation Proclamation, also issued in 1863, freed the slaves in the places where Lincoln had the legal power but not the practical authority to do so. Lincoln couldn't proclaim slavery abolished in the states that hadn't left the Union. That would require congressional action. But he could, as commander in chief, make a wartime declaration about the slaves in enemy territory. That technicality was enough to let Lincoln define the conflict with Confederacy once and for all as a war to abolish slavery. From the proclamation in January to West Virginia statehood in June to his address at the Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pa., in November, the year 1863 was the when Lincoln defined the purpose of the war: 'That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.' 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But like West Virginia, the GOP nationally has come to revere the rebellious populism of Andrew Jackson or even the heroes of the Confederacy more often than the sober, sacrificial republicanism of Lincoln. This is maybe understandable in the former states of the Confederacy where Republicans took control not as the Party of Lincoln, but as the alternative to the Democrats who had abandoned legal segregation after 90 years of succoring segregation and Jim Crow. But in West Virginia, which wouldn't even exist without Lincoln's legal and political dexterity, it seems more than a little churlish. Holy croakano! We welcome your feedback, so please email us with your tips, corrections, reactions, amplifications, etc. at WholeHogPolitics@ If you'd like to be considered for publication, please include your real name and hometown. If you don't want your comments to be made public, please specify. 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All adults Favorable: 35% Unfavorable: 64% Republicans Favorable: 61% Unfavorable: 36% Democrats Favorable: 13% Unfavorable: 85% Independents Favorable: 27% Unfavorable: 71% [Kaiser Family Foundation survey of 1,321 U.S. adults, June 4-8, 2025] ON THE SIDE: WELL, FIDDLEDEEDEE The West Virginia Encyclopedia: 'Clark Kessinger was among the most prolific and influential fiddlers of the 20th century, and one of West Virginia's most important traditional musicians. He [made] made his initial mark as a recording artist between 1928 and 1930, when he recorded more than 60 instrumentals with his nephew, guitarist Luches Kessinger. … The most popular of these 78 rpm releases was 'Wednesday Night Waltz,' though lively dance tunes such as 'Hell Among the Yearlings' and 'Turkey in the Straw' also sold well. The Kessinger Brothers started performing on radio station WOBU (later WCHS) when the Charleston station began broadcasting in 1927. Clark Kessinger remained in the Kanawha Valley and performed locally for the next 30 years, leading up to his rediscovery during the folk music revival of the 1960s. During the next decade, he recorded extensively, played music across the country, and won numerous fiddling contests. In 1966, he was a guest artist on the Grand Ole Opry radio program, on NBC-TV's Today Show, and at the prestigious Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island.' PRIME CUTS Antisemitism charges shake NYC mayor race ahead of Tuesday vote: The Hill: 'New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism over remarks he made in which he avoided denouncing the phrase 'globalize the intifada' and compared it to the Warsaw ghetto uprising during the Holocaust. … Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is the front-runner in the race, slammed Mamdani for saying the phrase about the intifada is 'subject to interpretation.' He called on all mayoral candidates to denounce the comment. 'That is not only wrong – it is dangerous,' he said in a post on X. 'At a time when we are seeing antisemitism on the rise and in fact witnessing once again violence against Jews…' Gaming out a muddle in New York's mayoral race: New Yorker: 'No matter who wins on June 24th, New York City could be in line for a competitive general election for the first time in more than two decades. If [Andrew] Cuomo wins, [Zohran] Mamdani may still appear on the ballot in November, on the progressive Working Families Party line. Eric Adams, the beleaguered incumbent, has announced his intention to appear on the ballot as an Independent. If Cuomo ends up losing the primary, he has pledged to do the same. The Republican nominee, the longtime political gadfly Curtis Sliwa, who, in the late seventies, founded the red-beret-clad vigilante group the Guardian Angels, ran four years ago and garnered twenty-seven per cent of the vote in a head-to-head matchup with Adams. 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It seems like it's getting more coverage than ever in the media, and being a bit of an expert in that field yourself, I was curious if you believed that that extra attention is warranted. Do you think it's becoming more common now? Do you think it's ever justified? Other than general polarization, what about politics is breaking people apart to the extent of going no contact? Do you think there are any decent solutions? Or do you think the entire topic is blown out of proportion? I know this is a lot of questions, but like I said, the topic fascinated me.' — Justin Bliley Washington Court House, Ohio Mr. Bliley, There's probably no way to quantify whether political estrangement is getting worse. It's an inherently subjective question since it relates to the feelings people have about each other. But I can't imagine that political estrangement is worse now than it was 50 years ago, when a generational clash over Vietnam, the draft, Watergate, civil rights, women's liberation, abortion and everything else had just taken place against the backdrop of economic contraction and crushing inflation. The baby boomers, then mostly in their 20s, had just completed one of the most successful youth movements in American history. It was the end of an old consensus about how people in our country lived, loved, worshiped, worked and served. Now those same baby boomers, mostly in their 70s, are fighting like hell against the next revolution, and for the moment seem to be winning. I hope that in another 50 years, people look back on the 2010s and 2020s as a similarly transitional period in which a new, useful and durable consensus got hammered out. That way that happens is that some fights are won and lost while others simply fade away, obviated by technology or just run out of steam. A consensus is born out of a great deal of exhaustion. When people get tired enough of fighting, they can become amenable to compromise. Another similarity to 50 years ago is that America was getting ready to celebrate a big birthday, the bicentennial of 1976 then and the semiquincentennial of 2026. What I saw in the Army parade last week that kicked off the festivities gave me some reason to hope that the hokey, homey patriotism of which we are very much in need these days might make a comeback. And none too soon. All best, c You should email us! Write to WholeHogPolitics@ with your tips, kudos, criticisms, insights, rediscovered words, wonderful names, recipes, and, always, good jokes. Please include your real name—at least first and last—and hometown. Make sure to let us know in the email if you want to keep your submission private. My colleague, the resolute Meera Sehgal, and I will look for your emails and then share the most interesting ones and my responses here. Clickety clack! FOR DESSERT Follow the simple, printed instructions CTV News: 'A motorcyclist last seen wearing a 'come get me' sweater has been arrested by Guelph [Ontario] Police. On May 29, an officer spotted a bike with no licence plate driving erratically on Stone Road West and Edinburgh Road South. Police pulled up beside the motorcycle at a red light and told the rider to pull over. Instead, he took off. Police said he was going approximately [75 mph] on Stone Road and, in the interest of public safety, they stopped their pursuit. They then turned to social media to find the motorcyclist. Police noted he was wearing a sweater with 'come get me' written across the back. That post, they said, was viewed 575,000 times and several tips were reported, which led to the identification of the rider. On Friday, a 20-year-old Guelph man was arrested and charged with dangerous driving, flight from police, stunt driving and offences under the Highway Traffic Act.' Chris Stirewalt is political editor for The Hill and NewsNation, the host of The Hill Sunday on NewsNation and The CW, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the author of books on politics and the media. Meera Sehgal contributed to this report.
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Juneteenth celebrations across the US commemorate the end of slavery
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — Celebrations around the U.S. are marking Thursday as Juneteenth, the anniversary of the day in 1865 when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Texas. An organization that promotes African American history and culture in New Hampshire got an early start commemorating the holiday, even as President Donald Trump's administration works to ban diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, or DEI, in the federal government and is removing content about Black American history from federal websites. The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire orchestrated a weekslong celebration that will culminate with a community dance and rededication of the African Burying Ground Memorial Park in Portsmouth. The Illinois town of Plano made history in its celebration of Juneteenth, but now the party's getting moved to YorkvilleThose who planned the history tours, community discussions and other events in New Hampshire said they wanted to highlight contradictions in the familiar narratives about the nation's founding fathers ahead of next year's 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 'Although they are historically courageous, smart men, they were also human. They held people in bondage. They had children with their enslaved,' said JerriAnne Boggis, the Heritage Trail's executive director. 'What would the story look like if the story of America was told from these Black descendants?' Juneteenth has been celebrated by Black Americans for generations, but became more widely observed after former President Joe Biden designated it a federal holiday in 2021. It is recognized at least as an observance in every state, and nearly 30 states and Washington, D.C., have designated it as a permanent paid or legal holiday through legislation or executive action. During his first administration, Trump issued statements each June 19, including one that ended with 'On Juneteenth 2017, we honor the countless contributions made by African Americans to our Nation and pledge to support America's promise as the land of the free.' This year's celebratory events come amid bitter national debates about Trump's travel ban on visitors from select countries and his administration's many anti-DEI initiatives. New Hampshire, one of the nation's whitest states, is not among those with a permanent, paid or legal Juneteenth holiday, and Boggis said her hope that lawmakers would take action making it one is waning. 'I am not so sure anymore given the political environment we're in,' she said. 'I think we've taken a whole bunch of steps backwards in understanding our history, civil rights and inclusion.' Still, she hopes New Hampshire's events and those elsewhere will make a difference. 'It's not a divisive tool to know the truth. Knowing the truth helps us understand some of the current issues that we're going through,' she said. And if spreading that truth comes with a bit of fun, all the better, she said. 'When we come together, when we break bread together, we enjoy music together, we learn together, we dance together, we're creating these bonds of community,' she said. 'As much was we educate, we also want to celebrate together.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Trump remakes the White House with new flagpoles
WASHINGTON (AP) — The American flag has long flown from a pole on the White House roof, but that's always been too small for President Donald Trump, who wants everything to be bigger and more beautiful. On Wednesday, massive new flagpoles were erected on the North and South Lawns of the White House. 'It's such a beautiful pole,' Trump said as workers used a crane to install the latest addition to the South Lawn. He returned to the same spot later in the day, saluting as the stars and stripes were hoisted for the first time. The second pole, on the North Lawn, is close to Pennsylvania Avenue. The two poles are the most notable exterior modification to the White House since Trump returned to the presidency with grand ideas for remaking the building. He's already updated the Oval Office, adding gold accents, more portraits and a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Workers have begun paving over the grass in the Rose Garden, and there are plans to construct a new ballroom somewhere on the White House grounds. The changes bring the iconic building more in line with Mar-a-Lago, Trump's private club in Florida. The president made time to watch one of the flagpole installations despite the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, plus questions of whether the U.S. would become directly involved. 'I love construction,' said Trump, who made his mark as a New York real estate developer. 'I know it better than anybody.' He talked about how the pole went down nine feet deep for stability, and the rope would be contained inside the cylinder, unlike the one at Mar-a-Lago. When the wind blows, 'you hear that rope, banging.' 'This is the real deal,' he said. 'This is the best you can get. There's nothing like this.' ____
