Is The 4th of July Really Our Birthday?

As we celebrate our 238th birthday of a nation, is today really the day we should be celebrating? In fact independence was declared on July 2, 1776. John Adams declared, "the most memorable epocha in the history of America."

It was not until July 4, 1776, Congress approved the final text of the Declaration. It was not signed until August 2, 1776.

There are many misconceptions about the Declaration of Independence, and also many facts can be found on this great website entitled ConstitutionFacts.com. The particular page I got this from can be accessed by clicking here. If that does not work, click on this URL: http://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-declaration-of-independence/fascinating-facts/

This famous painting by John Trumbull does not show the Declaration being presented to the Continental Congress, but rather to the Committee of Five who actually wrote the Declaration of Independence. They were Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Robert Livingston, Benjamin Franklin and Roger Sherman.

Click on the image to make it larger:

The interesting fact about this painting is it never could have happened that way because not all members of the Congress were in Philadelphia that day. There is another fascinating site with five myths and true facts about the declaration written today in the Times Bulletin Media by Kirk Dougal. You may access it by clicking here. If that does not work, click on this URL: http://www.timesbulletin.com/Content/News/News/Article/Not-all-beliefs-about-the-Declaration-of-Independence-are-true/2/4/188663

I find it interesting how our history is changed and often times not all the facts are true. I have noticed that in a number of the posts I have made. It makes me wonder what I can believe and not believe about articles and books I read today about current and recent history.

CNN ran a six-part documentary on the sixties. It was fascinating to watch how our media was feeding us information they wanted us to know and distorting facts to meet certain peoples' expectations about many of the events that changed our world from that turbulent decade. Through it all, we can always trust Walter Cronkite at the end of the day. Or, should I say, "We thought we could trust him."

Now, when many people do not get their news from the three main networks that came to life in the 1960s, but rather through social media and The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, it is no wonder we cannot believe everything we hear, see and read.

As you go out to watch fireworks tonight, think for a minute about this post and wonder to yourself if we should be celebrating today or not as the birth of our nation.

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

We All Need A Boost Up Now And Then

I have a challenge for you. Go ahead, try and go a week, three days or even a day without giving or getting a boost up! I am willing to bet you cannot do it. Why would you want to?


I spend a lot of time in front of this computer, reading, writing, calling, learning and listening to talk radio. The other day, I heard an ad for boostup.org. They were giving statistics from The Alliance for Excellent Education about young people dropping out of school. There is a map on the boostup website broken down by state. Fascinating information! I suggest you check out to see how your state is doing. Folks, as a nation, you probably already know, we are not doing very well with graduating our young people from high school.


They give you a list of facts about why students are dropping out. They tell you a few student stories. They tell you how you can take action to do your part by mentoring a single student to volunteering at a school to getting involved in a parent teacher group. And more ...


One suggestion they give which I really like is they suggest the schools bring in a guest speaker or performer! Well, sign me up! I have so many stories of the reactions, administrators, teachers and students have given me after a day in his or her school. I discuss many of them in my book, I Still Believe in Tomorrow. 


Often times, the reaction is something like, "Your program was much more than I expected." "You give me a new sense of hope." "This was much different than the last person we had." "This was the best program we've ever had." "I didn't want you to stop." 


Then, there are the emails I receive! You would not believe some of them. I receive notes from young people, and adults, who tell me things they have never told anyone! They trust me. They trust me because I speak the truth in my presentations. Do people trust you?


If you are an adult dealing with young people and want to help, give them a boost up however you can. If you are a young person, do the same with your peers.


As always, I look forward to your comments.


Later,


Mike

Telling The Truth

We have all heard how important it is to tell the truth. There are many, many great quotes that remind us just how important it is to us. A friend sent me this quote I want to share:


Click on the image to make it larger:

I believe it is important to always tell the truth. Sometimes it may hurt you. Other times it may hurt the other person. A quick Google search for Truth quotes brought over two hundred twenty million sites, and many were lists of truth quotes.


As a child, we lived in eight small towns before I was fourteen. My father was always teaching in the same school building as I was, except in Edgerton, the building was across the street. I knew if I ever got in trouble, he would find out about it. 


I was in the fourth or fifth grade and in physical education class, my teacher, Mr. Carlstead wanted us to do a particular exercise and I knew it was wrong because that was not the way my dad had taught me to do it. So I called him on it. He got angry being called to task by a nine- or ten-year-old student, and let me have it!


Of course the news got to my dad and at supper that night (in small town America, the evening meal is supper) he asked me about the incident in school that day. I told him my side of the story and he could hardly get angry with me since I was telling the truth and doing what he had taught me. I would like to think that story is what Gandhi was talking about on many levels.


Truth won out again.


Do you have any truth or trust stories you would like to share? I look forward to reading them.


Later,


Mike