The Emporia Gazette

February 12, 2012

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Don Coldsmith, author, columnist and longtime Emporia doctor, died June 25. For many years, his “Horsin’ Around” column has appeared on Monday on The Gazette’s editorial page. This is the last column he prepared for publication in The Gazette. He will be missed by his readers and his friends.

AT THE approach of this important holiday, I had to pause and wonder if the legal holiday would be observed on a Monday instead. The calendar did not indicate anything of that kind. My wife assured me that it could not be done. Regardless of the trend toward Monday holidays to gain another long weekend, some things can’t be changed. Christmas must be on Dec. 25, New Year on Jan. 1 and Independence Day on July 4 (or this year July 3 and 4). As I recall, as kids we seldom called it Independence Day. It was the Fourth of July, or often simply “The Fourth.”

The holiday, of course, celebrates the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress in 1776, to declare freedom from British rule. Oddly, Independence Day was not declared a legal public holiday until 1941. Maybe it was one of those things which was accepted as custom, a part of our culture. It was certainly celebrated before 1941, of course.

I ran across a quote from John Adams which bears repeating. Adams, a member of the Congress, and later our second president, said, “I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illumination, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward and evermore.”

It’s interesting that Adams envisioned the celebration of Independence as a religious festival: “solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.” Not to any specific church or religion, it should be noted, just to God. Quite a number of early immigrants to the colonies were there because in their own homelands, they had suffered persecution because of their faith. This continued to be true until much later. It is the basis for our not having any one official religion. “Freedom of religion” is one of our basic precepts, and one of our most important rights, the right to worship as we please. Or, not. There have been some odd distortions through the years. Freedom of religion has sometimes been translated as freedom FROM religion by those who profess atheism. Atheists find themselves in an odd situation: The Latin prefix A- translates “without” and -THEIST, “God” or deity. Therefore, the atheist is announcing that he (she) is “without God,” who, according to his own beliefs, doesn’t exist anyway. (Then why bother to argue it? It should be no problem).

Another oddity — the first celebration of “The Fourth” was on July 8 of 1776, in Philadelphia. Communication was slower then, and it took a few days to realize the importance of the Declaration and spread the word.

Through the years, the celebration has had a tendency to emphasize more of the patriotic than the religious aspect. Almost forgotten is the gratitude that John Adams felt for deliverance from Britain’s rule. We kept his fascination with showy celebration, concerts, parades and fireworks. There was very little regulation of fireworks until after World War II. Kids could fire off about anything they could smuggle past their mothers, or had the money to buy. Firecrackers three, four or even six inches long resembling a small stick of dynamite were readily available. Not to mention cherry bombs, actually more powerful. They, along with explosives bigger than two inches, were forbidden to us. Night fireworks were quiet and pretty much had a blanket stamp of approval by my mother. However, they were expensive, except for sparklers. Even they had hot wires to burn kids.

In some respects, John Adams’ prediction of the celebration of Independence was accurate. We still associate the occasion with picnics, ball games, parades and concerts. It’s a bit sad to see that most of these activities have degenerated into spectator sports, the viewing of which is available for money. Even the picnic lunch can be had, ready to go, for a price. I wonder what John Adams would say today.

See you down the road.