Happy Independence Day!

[Erik Rutins]

To all who celebrate it and all who fought to gain it and to maintain it through the years:

https://youtu.be/EmP9LvHgcaA

[Chickenboy]

Thank you, Erik. To you and yours as well. [8D]

[Yogi the Great]

Thank You for posting it Eric

[LST Express]

God Bless America!

[MrRoadrunner]

Amen.

RR

[RangerJoe]

Very beautiful, thank you.

[operating]

Will be watching the festivities tonight in Washington, DC... Gave 4 years in service to this country and a life-time of memories that make me proud to me an American. If you ever want to see a proud people, go to Montreal, Canada on Bastille Day (French National Day) those people really know how to celebrate being a Free-Nation..

[Gilmer]

Same to you, Eric. And thank you.

[Greybriar]

Thank you for sharing, Erik.

[IslandInland]

Well done on freeing yourselves from the yoke of a monarchy. It's a shame the British never did the same. We are still stuck with them.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: IslandInland

Well done on freeing yourselves from the yoke of a monarchy. It's a shame the British never did the same. We are still stuck with them.

Stuck with them? Who-the British or the Monarchy? [;)]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: IslandInland

Well done on freeing yourselves from the yoke of a monarchy. It's a shame the British never did the same. We are still stuck with them.

warspite1

'The yoke of the monarchy'? Well don't think omlettin' that slide. The British did get rid of the monarchy and eggsactly how did that turn out? The alternative was not all it was cracked up to be was it? Cromwell presided over a country where one could be executed for poaching. Even getting laid was frowned upon in his puritanical state. Daily beatings were common and Frydays were set aside as a special punishment days - no wonder so many people scrambled to leave the country. At least Charles I wasn't chicken and he went to his death with dignity.

Anyway, I'm eggnoring such buffoonery. God Save The Queen! God bless her - oh and Happy Birthday America.

[AndySfromVA]

If America had stayed with Britain would it now be a significantly different country? If so, how?

[Zap]

ORIGINAL: AndySfromVA

If America had stayed with Britain would it now be a significantly different country? If so, how?

Less money in our coffers and London would look like New York with all the Skyscrapers.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: AndySfromVA

If America had stayed with Britain would it now be a significantly different country? If so, how?

warspite1

There is not a situation I can think of that would see the colonies remaining under UK control. The economic, geographic, demographic and political factors applicable to the colonies (in contrast to what became the other Dominions) makes it almost unthinkable that they would remain linked to the United Kingdom for any length of time - even had the various parties dealt with the events of 1775 in more 'enlightened' fashion.

At some point in the future a new point of friction (likely land movement west of the Appalachians) would develop between the mother country and the colonists and the size and power of the colonists (which would only increase) would ultimately always be too strong for the UK to defeat. So you'd have a situation where the tail was forever wagging the dog and anytime the dog tried to stop it, the powerful tail would simply refuse.

Human beings being what they are, that is not a state of affairs that could exist for any length of time. So had 1775 been averted, then it would have been but a temporary reprieve.

[MrRoadrunner]

Yearning to breathe free, is the key.
It always moves one to the inevitable?

As Warspite1 said so well. If not then, it would have been later.
It's also the formula that brought our countries back together as friends and allies. Separated by one language ... English.[;)]

RR

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: MrRoadrunner

Yearning to breathe free, is the key.
It always moves one to the inevitable?

Separated by one language ... English.[;)]

RR

warspite1

What did you just say yankee boy?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRbwWZwiCvM

[Chickenboy]

King George said it well I think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgiyq7rqWhg

[RangerJoe]

Separated by a common language, I just think of the young English gentlemen who told a young American female college student that would knock her up at 10 the next morning. [X(]

But just think of the relative populations difference now, what is now the US would have much more power than the UK and yes, it would wag the dog.

[MrRoadrunner]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: MrRoadrunner

Yearning to breathe free, is the key.
It always moves one to the inevitable?

Separated by one language ... English.[;)]

RR

warspite1

What did you just say yankee boy?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRbwWZwiCvM

Proud Yankee. Anglo Saxon roots.
You know where the English language came from? I'm just full circle speaking. [;)]

RR