Re: Thought for the Day (and this day in history....) HEROIC???

Name    : 
E-Mail  : 
Subject : 

Comments:
: : : Well now, Dr U.M.........the BTP was one of our HEROIC moments in history?  Heroic you say?  There is no greater patriot than I, but saying the Boston Tea Party is heroic is a bit of a stretch, don't you think?  Yes, I suppose those treacherous wooden tea chests WERE quite combative and put up quite a fight against those brave SOL with only poor tomahawks and pry bars with which to defend themselves :)  Not to mention how those several sea captains and watch standers posed such a terrible threat to an armed and angry mob.  It was quite the grand statement I'll grant you, but falls a wee bit short of heroic, doesnt it?

: : : Bill R

: : Bill R:

: : Touche'....Yes, you are just calling it as it is.  But, maybe it's heroic in the sense that these Sons of Liberty were purposefully disobeying the law to make a point, which in their minds, was a point of "independence" and fighting for freedom.  There may be a deeper question here, Can disobeying the law be heroic?  In this situation (Boston Tea Party) many of my collegues in the SAR and DAR would proclaim, Yes!  But, your point is well taken and although I believe that most Americans (who know only the basics of the BTP story) would perceive this event as heroic.  Maybe I'm wrong.  Personally, I see it as one of those events which gave the colonists the impetus to push for war, much like the Boston Massacre (which was no massacre at all). More thoughts???

: : Pax Aye!!

: : Dr. Uncle Mark

: Oh yes, I would have to agree that the BTP definitely was one of the events which led to Revolution.  The result of that little brewing was as you stated the Intolerable Acts, and those definitely fired up resentment leading to revolt.  As to the Boston Massacre, well, if somebody was throwing "snowballs" with bricks in them at me, and I had a gun in my hands, the temptation would be very great to return their "snowballs" with musket balls.....as apparently happened.  Sort of an 18th Century Kent State, wasn't it?  Both had impacts upon the American psyche.  In the former, it made the Redcoats the bloody enemy.  In the latter, though it was a horribly perfect example of the extent this country was tearing itself apart, it sure put a rapid halt to on-campus demonstrations as I recall.  Some would disagree I am sure, but it seemed to me there were campus demonstrations weekly, and after that, very few.  So, in my fractured history (ala Bullwinkle) the first "massacre" started a Revolution, and the second massacre ended one....as well as our involvement in an unpopular war.

: Bill R


Optional Link URL:  
Link Title:         
Optional Image URL: