1. Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.

2. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

3. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

4. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the evolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they?

24 were lawyers and jurists 11 were merchants
9 were farmers and large plantation owners—- men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.
Remember: freedom is never free!

HAPPY FOURTH
MICHELLE

I'm sorry to hear you don't feel welcome at AVITW. While I cannot speak for anyone else, I know that I enjoy sparring with anyone of any political/ideological persuasion. Is sarcasm sometimes used? Sure. Satire? Yep. But I would just encourage you to fearlessly offer up your views on things here and actively engage the issues you disagree with instead of focusing solely on the tone. That doesn't excuse anyone, myself included, for being mean-spirited or offensive…but as I said, let's strive for thicker skins and softer hearts in discussing the issues that matter so much to our nation today. THAT is all I'm interested in.

This is just a humble blog from a low-level conservative citizen who believes in certain things. Take it for what it is.

Is there anything in particular from this article that you did not like? If you have a point of contention, PLEASE voice it and I promise (on my part) to engage you appropriately.

Also, please feel free to use a name, even if it's made up, because that makes it easier to respond to.

Thanks for your thoughts. Stick with us here and see if we can't get some good discourse going in the future.

-RJM

I had never heard of Action U, and it sounds really interesting… probably something I wouldn't be into… since I am a liberal hippy but it was a great synopsis nonetheless.

I think the issue I have with the blog isn't the blog itself… but whenever a comment isn't praising your views or writing… you, or a devoted reader, lashes out and blog flogs the anonymous commenter.

It paints a picture.

Well put.

Thanks for posting a comment old friend. Good to hear from you.

In answer to your question, I will speak for myself and say that I did not encounter anyone that I would consider Left-of-Center, although there might have been people of your political persuasion there. Acton is a conservative organization/think-tank, is interested in (and unafraid of) debate with all ideologies and positions, but focuses on educating people from a Center-Right perspective.

You wouldn't go to a NOW or ACLU or NAACP or Teachers' Union conference and expect to meet many conservatives….

But believe me when I say that Acton Institute is absolutely interested in not only debating ideas among themselves and like-minded participants…they are actively engaging the culture, the political landscape, etc. in everything they do.

Glad to hear some reasonable thoughts from a reasonable liberal atheist such as yourself. Keep reading and commenting in the future buddy.

-RJM

Very intersting peice. As a liberal atheist, even I can apprciate the mission at Acton. Open debate and discussion are the only ways effective solutions can be uncovered.

I'm curious, how many folks did you meet at the conference leaning a little more to the left side of the fence?

Also, as an Obama backer, I must admit I cringe when I see videos from rappers and celebrities, and posts from people like Anonymous, who seemingly know nothing of the man other than the fact that it is "cool" to support the man. Please do not let those people give us all a bad name. They are to liberals what Sarah Palin is to conservatives

Your friend,
Dydo

I really, really enjoyed it.

Hmm…let's see–I guess voters who register multiple times (try 100) through upstanding agencies such as ACORN- are considered "fair and square" in some circles. While I admit Obama's is not the first election to encounter voter fraud, I think the ACORN situation is just blatant cheating

Moreover, the media are culpable in biased reporting as well…

I don't mean to sound nasty or sarcastic, but I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around this one…

PLEASE—I guess AL FRANKEN, a true patriot and political scholar was elected "fair and square" as well

OH MY GOODNESS
Michelle