ARTICLE
When the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical. By the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to favor independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in the bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published by Thomas Paine in early 1776. On June 7, 1776, when the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies’ independence. Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee’s resolution, but appointed a five-man committee—including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York—to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain. On July 2, 1776, — 244 years ago from today — the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee’s resolution for independence in a near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively). On July 4th, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Thomas Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on, the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence. Today, we are at the halfway mark of 2020 — only a couple days short of America’s annual Fourth of July festivities. However, this will be a very different celebration this year. Look at what has transpired in four months since early March. It has been a remarkable year like no other. I would never have imagined that on July 2, 2020, we would be at a point of an unrecognizable world — a global pandemic, an explosion and sky rocketing health crisis with COVID - 19 hitting everyone, everywhere. Then the dramatic decisions by global, national, state and local leaders announced plans to shut down businesses and the economy to protect the health and well-being of people. The consistent messages from our healthcare experts were about ways to slow the spread of the virus. As the virus spread the numbers started to climb at an alarming rate — if you are elderly, have health conditions or have symptoms associated with the virus, you need to stay safe and stay home. Many heeded that cautionary call. Others did not and the predictable situation of the virus spreading overwhelmed our health care systems. Those communities that heeded this advice were able to bend the curve. We have been very fortunate here in Santa Cruz County where our virus numbers and hospitalizations are some of the lowest in the state. Yet, as health conditions collided head first into an economic tsunami — we faced an economic free-fall so fast in such a short period of time, it has tested our resilience and our threshold of pain from a double whammy —a health and an economic crisis all rolled into one big mess. As we slowed the spread, we began the initial climb out of the depths of our economic quagmire with baby steps first. The old saying, “You have to learn to walk before you can run” seemed to be the logical strategy of re-opening our economy. But patience is only a virtue if you practice it. As a country, we did not yield to the call for common sense. The recent events of the past couple weeks where the virus numbers are escalating far faster than before is a testimony to those individuals who put themselves before the common good for all people. Governor Newsom has reversed his previous order asking several counties to close bars and other gathering places. As if the pandemic wasn’t enough, the worst possible thing followed, the killing of another human being — George Floyd, a black man ignited a global outcry that continues to grow exponentially every day as America and the world try to fight back from 400 plus years of racial inequality. Yes, Black Lives Matter and we should make every effort to root out the bigotry that has been with us for centuries. There highs and lows of any crisis — individuals that rise above the fray and become heroes. The first responders, the essential workers and the common person who does the right thing to protect themselves and those around them. However, when peaceful demonstrations turn into rioting, looting and senseless vandalism — we are left with a very dark picture of our country. Saturday is July 4th — a day where we as one country celebrate our freedom, our love of country and the opportunity to be with family and friends. It is also our time to reflect on those times in our country where the pot marks of our history are blighted reminders that we need to do better. We need to rise above the past and look towards a future that represents what America is all about. We need to live the dream in Martin Luther King’s mighty “I have a Dream” speech: “When we allow freedom to ring-when we let it ring from every city and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants, and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last, Free at last, Great God almighty, "we are free at last.” The full speech is here: https://www.archives.gov/files/press/exhibits/dream-speech.pdf As you begin your holiday weekend — think of Dr. Martin Luther King’s inspirational speech that can lead us into a better place for America. Please stay safe and enjoy your holiday with respect for your neighbors and the beauty of Santa Cruz County. And don’t forget your mask in public and social distancing too.
When the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical. By the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to favor independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in the bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published by Thomas Paine in early 1776.
On June 7, 1776, when the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies’ independence. Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee’s resolution, but appointed a five-man committee—including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York—to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain.
On July 2, 1776, — 244 years ago from today — the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee’s resolution for independence in a near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively).
On July 4th, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Thomas Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on, the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence.
Today, we are at the halfway mark of 2020 — only a couple days short of America’s annual Fourth of July festivities. However, this will be a very different celebration this year.
Look at what has transpired in four months since early March. It has been a remarkable year like no other. I would never have imagined that on July 2, 2020, we would be at a point of an unrecognizable world — a global pandemic, an explosion and sky rocketing health crisis with COVID - 19 hitting everyone, everywhere. Then the dramatic decisions by global, national, state and local leaders announced plans to shut down businesses and the economy to protect the health and well-being of people. The consistent messages from our healthcare experts were about ways to slow the spread of the virus. As the virus spread the numbers started to climb at an alarming rate — if you are elderly, have health conditions or have symptoms associated with the virus, you need to stay safe and stay home. Many heeded that cautionary call. Others did not and the predictable situation of the virus spreading overwhelmed our health care systems.
Those communities that heeded this advice were able to bend the curve. We have been very fortunate here in Santa Cruz County where our virus numbers and hospitalizations are some of the lowest in the state. Yet, as health conditions collided head first into an economic tsunami — we faced an economic free-fall so fast in such a short period of time, it has tested our resilience and our threshold of pain from a double whammy —a health and an economic crisis all rolled into one big mess.
As we slowed the spread, we began the initial climb out of the depths of our economic quagmire with baby steps first. The old saying, “You have to learn to walk before you can run” seemed to be the logical strategy of re-opening our economy. But patience is only a virtue if you practice it. As a country, we did not yield to the call for common sense. The recent events of the past couple weeks where the virus numbers are escalating far faster than before is a testimony to those individuals who put themselves before the common good for all people. Governor Newsom has reversed his previous order asking several counties to close bars and other gathering places.
As if the pandemic wasn’t enough, the worst possible thing followed, the killing of another human being — George Floyd, a black man ignited a global outcry that continues to grow exponentially every day as America and the world try to fight back from 400 plus years of racial inequality. Yes, Black Lives Matter and we should make every effort to root out the bigotry that has been with us for centuries. There highs and lows of any crisis — individuals that rise above the fray and become heroes. The first responders, the essential workers and the common person who does the right thing to protect themselves and those around them. However, when peaceful demonstrations turn into rioting, looting and senseless vandalism — we are left with a very dark picture of our country.
Saturday is July 4th — a day where we as one country celebrate our freedom, our love of country and the opportunity to be with family and friends. It is also our time to reflect on those times in our country where the pot marks of our history are blighted reminders that we need to do better. We need to rise above the past and look towards a future that represents what America is all about. We need to live the dream in Martin Luther King’s mighty “I have a Dream” speech: “When we allow freedom to ring-when we let it ring from every city and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants, and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last, Free at last, Great God almighty, "we are free at last.” The full speech is here: https://www.archives.gov/files/press/exhibits/dream-speech.pdf
As you begin your holiday weekend — think of Dr. Martin Luther King’s inspirational speech that can lead us into a better place for America. Please stay safe and enjoy your holiday with respect for your neighbors and the beauty of Santa Cruz County. And don’t forget your mask in public and social distancing too.