06 July 2011

We Kicked ET's Ass!

It passed by me without notice, but actually two days ago was the 15th anniversary of when we repelled an alien invasion! Good days!

It turns out this date is not just a World holiday, but also a local holiday in the country of United States of America where it marks a beginning of an event called the American Revolution from way back, like even before ABBA.

An interesting essay on this event - Independence Day Propaganda by Anthony Gregory. It tries to highlight some of its less advertised aspects. These include:
  • 'Boston Tea Party' was caused by anger over a reduction in British taxes on East India tea
  • Colonials resented the fact Britain had lifted its ban on Catholicism in Canada
  • George Washington worked to have the maximum corporal punishment in the army raised to 500 lashes
  • Repression against the Loyalists resulted in up to one hundred thousand people (out of a population of 2.4 million) fleeing to Canada
  • Seeing it as the less immediate threat Indians mainly fought on the side of Britain
  • At least 20,000 blacks fought for the British, far fewer against them

The piece goes well with the podcast John A. Nagy - Rebellion in the Ranks: Mutinies of the American Revolution (from NYMAS website) which also highlights a side of the conflict that is seldom considered. There is also a video interview with Nagy, but it's done in a boring fashion, so I can't honestly recommend it.

1 comment:

  1. Good job. The American Revolution is a very complicated affair, and we SOMETIMES see the British as the ones fighting for religious tolerance, fair treatment of natives and slaves, and removal of harsh penalties and punishments.

    Gene Callahan, who eagerly follows 1600s and 1700s history, believed that King George was a better alternative to many later leaders in republican America. He is a very devout Catholic, and sees much anti-Catholic bigotry in celebrated republican leaders of Britain and United States.