Find John Hancock…
It’s the 4th of July weekend which means we celebrate Independence Day by eating hot dogs and hamburgers by the bushel. We go to the lake, our backyards, or celebrate by the pool with friends and family, something I enjoy much more than ever these days.
I have celebrated Independence Day for as long as I have memories and I understand the history as good as anyone else but it seems every year I learn something new or I see the actual document in a different way, a more appreciative way.
56 men signed the document, some of them were famous and some of them were not. Some were farmers but a bunch of them were lawyers. I was always more fascinated by the penmanship of their signatures and the penmanship of the entire document. Those guys really knew how to write with class and style. If you look at all the signatures at the bottom, for the most part, all were very legible, a fact worth some attention in this writing.
The men that signed that document, essentially were signing not only their own death warrant but also their family’s death warrants. Once the King got word of such an insurrection, he would do what every smart battle tactician would do, cut the head off the rattlesnake first and the rattles would soon grow silent. Meaning, these 56 men will need to publicly hang from the gallows. And if they went into hiding, the King would seek out anyone close to them and they too, would meet their fate. The signatures were a big deal and took a degree of courage that I am not sure I have.
With their signatures, they each eagerly flipped the “bird” to the King of England, a ruler with the most powerful Army and Navy in the world. This would be the equivalent of Barney Fife picking a fight with Andre the Giant without even so much as a protein shake to build up his muscles. This took courage, courage illustrated by John Hancock, the first signer of the Declaration of Independence.
John Hancock’s signature is the most visible and noticeable of all signers for a reason. He was so excited to proclaim his freedom and independence from the throne that he eagerly signed the document right smack in the bottom middle of the last line, leaving no room for anyone to attempt to place their signature above his, then proclaimed, “I guess King George will be able to read that!” In other words, “lets rock bitch”. At least that is how I understand it. The boldness and proudness by which he signed a document, making him a prime target for the king, left an impression on all of us that has lasted until this very day. So, if you are serious about something and want others to know it, put your John Hancock on it.
Many of these men saw their homes burn, their fortunes lost, all in the pursuit of freedom, freedom from tyranny, freedom from overburdening taxation, freedom to worship whatever God you wanted or not worship at all. Freedom to say what’s on your mind, no matter how stupid or ridiculous it may be, you are free to say pretty much anything without being hung, shackled, flogged, imprisoned or banned from social media. Ok, I threw that last one in there to keep the conversation relevant.
These guys were all flawed, as we all are, but they collectively came together, risked everything they owned or loved in order for me and you to eat hot dogs and hamburgers this weekend without a fear of soldiers entering our homes, taking up residence and snatching the ball park frank from our soft sun-tanned hands.
We are the youngest most prosperous nation in the world yet we are the oldest democracy, a fact that is often overlooked. Think about it, just about any invention worth a hoot, the iPhone, the automobile, the incandescent light bulb, baseball, basketball, the pocket fisherman, individually wrapped sliced cheese, Barbie dolls, the nerf football and the television, all came from a nation that allowed its people to pursue their dreams.
This is our nation, a nation that stepped out of the way of individual ingenuity and risk taking and allowed its people to be free, think free and live free and it has worked out pretty well. Because 56 men put their necks on the chopping block for us, along with the tenacity and resilience of an Army that was under armed, under fed and poorly clothed, we are free. Enjoy your hot dogs and hamburgers this weekend but most of all, enjoy your freedom.