Fraters Libertas

Independence Day

I dropped by The Minneapolis Institute of Arts today to catch the final day of the Declaration Of Independence Road Trip's stop in Minneapolis. I understand that the Constitution and the Articles of Confederation wanted to make the road trip as well but couldn't get permission from their wives. Of course this wasn't the famous signed Declaration we were seeing. Rather it was one of the "Dunlap broadsides" which were printed up on July 4, 1776. Only twenty five of the original two hundred Dunlap broadsides are still around and this particular copy had its own unique story having been found on the back side of a painting bought at a flea market for five bucks. It 1991 it was sold for over 2 mil and in 2000 it brought a cool 8.1 million at auction.

When I arrived at the exhibit and learned that Norman Lear was the owner of this particular copy and originator of the road trip idea I had second thoughts about entering. Actually I nearly turned tail and headed home when a volunteer informed me that the wait to get in to see the document was around forty minutes. Forty minutes of my precious time? Then I remembered that the founders of our great land risked facing the hangman's noose and endured years of war to secure the freedoms that we now enjoy and decided that I could handle a forty minute wait. This pretty much makes us square right Mr. Jefferson?

The line wasn't really all that bad and as we snaked our way closer to the document itself we were treated to various visual displays including a video shot on July 4, 2001 featuring various Hollywood celebs reading portions of the Declaration of Independence. Kevin Spacey appeared to be trying just a little too hard as he over annunciated each word for dramatic effect. Benicio Del Toro was dressed like he was heading immediately from the reading to an exclusive nightclub and didn't want to waste any time changing his threads. I think Winona Ryder showed up on the wrong day but they included her anyway. No Winona, today is the Declaration of Independence reading, tomorrow's the Miranda Warning reading.

It's events like this that cause celebrities to believe that people actually care about their opinions on matters of politics. Why of course I know about civil liberties in the time of war. Have you forgotten my participation in the Declaration of Independence reading project a few years ago? Do you think Norman would have asked just anyone to do that?

There was also a display of comment cards that people filled out after going through the exhibit. You were asked what independence meant to you and how seeing the Declaration in person would change the way you lived your life. Most of the responses were from kids but I did notice a fifty nine year old woman who responded that from now on she would "work harder for the cause of peace". Hmmm... Interesting answer when you consider that the Declaration was, in effect, a declaration of war. My favorite card was filled out by a ten-year-old boy. What is independence? "To be able to do what you want." What will viewing the Declaration do to you? "I will try to help other people around the world become free." I think he gets it.

When I finally reached the document I was relieved to see it securely enclosed in a sturdy glass case. I would have hated to see the hallowed parchment soiled by a barbeque sauce covered Stonecutter in search of a napkin.