Greetings and welcome to the PENL Edition #116. Happy Independence Day and 4th of July holiday weekend. Let your flags fly high and your red, white, and blue pride stand strong. We the people will always be proud Patriots. Never forget these famous words from former President Ronald Reagan:
As you move through the PENL edition for this week, start the Patriotic video and listen to some great music as you read this weeks provided information or just relax and watch the video supporting the music.
The Final Text of the Declaration of Independence July 4 1776
Introduction
On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee introduced into Congress a resolution,(adopted on July 2) which asserted that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, fee and independent States. While this resolution was being discussed,on June 11 a committee, consisting of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston , and Roger Sherman was appointed to draft a Declaration of Independence. In his Autobiography written in 1805, Adams states that the committee of five decided upon "which the declaration was to consist", and it then appointed Jefferson and himself to form a subcommittee to really write them down. Now Jefferson and Adams have two completely different versions of what happened then. Adams says:
Jefferson proposed to me to make the draught, I said I will not; You shall do it. Oh no! Why will you not? You ought to do it. I will not. Why? Reasons enough. What can be your reasons? Reason 1st. You are a Virginian and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason 2nd. I am obnoxious, suspected and unpopular; you are very much otherwise. Reason 3rd. You can write ten times better than I can. 'Well", said Jefferson, 'if you are decided I will do as well as I can'. Very well, when you have drawn it up we will have a meeting.
Jefferson's version is completely different. In a letter to Maddison of 1823 he writes: Mr. Adams memory has led him into unquestionable error. At the age of 88 and 47 years after the transactions, . . . this is not wonderful. Nor should I . . . venture to oppose my memory to his, were it not supported by written notes, taken by myself at the moment and on the spot. . . The Committee of 5 met, no such thing as a sub-committee was proposed, but they unanimously pressed on myself alone to undertake the draught. I consented; I drew it; but before I reported it to the committee I communicated it separately to Dr. Franklin and Mr. Adams requesting their corrections;. . . and you have seen the original paper now in my hands, with the corrections of Dr. Franklin and Mr. Adams interlined in their own handwriting. Their alterations were two or three only, and merely verbal. I then wrote a fair copy, reported it to the committee, and from them, unaltered to the Congress.
The draft was presented to Congress on June 28 and adopted by Congress on July 4, after a number of changes had been made. There are no journals on the debates and the amendments. The most important of these were the excision of a passage indicting the slave trade and a number of passages were reworded in a more pious form.. A formal parchment copy of the Declaration, adopted in Congress 4 July 1776, was available for signing on August 2, and most of the 55 signatures were inscribed upon it on that date. The intention of the Declaration, Jefferson later wrote, was not saying some- thing new, butto place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent... Neither aiming at originality of principles or sentiments, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind.
There is still another version of the text, the so-called Lee-version. This is the text that Jefferson sent to Lee. This may be a better version of the draft. See Carl L. Becker, The declaration of independence. A study in the history of political ideas (New York, 1922) page 174.
One of the inspirations for the American Declaration of Independence was the Plakkaat van Verlatinghe of 1581 in which the Dutch abjured the King of Spain as their sovereign.
This is the final version of the text. Some phrases are different in the first drafts. These are indicated as a link to the first draft. There you can read the original wording.
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --
Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.
He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.
He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.
He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:
For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing taxes on us without our consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:
For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:
For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:
For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:
For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In Jefferson's draft there is a part on slavery here In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.
We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.
JOHN HANCOCK, President
Attested, CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary
New Hampshire JOSIAH BARTLETT
WILLIAM WHIPPLE
MATTHEW THORNTON
Massachusetts-Bay SAMUEL ADAMS
JOHN ADAMS
ROBERT TREAT PAINE
ELBRIDGE GERRY
Rhode Island - STEPHEN HOPKINS
WILLIAM ELLERY
Connecticut ROGER SHERMAN
SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
WILLIAM WILLIAMS
OLIVER WOLCOTT
Georgia BUTTON GWINNETT
LYMAN HALL
GEO. WALTON
Maryland SAMUEL CHASE
WILLIAM PACA
THOMAS STONE
CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON
Virginia GEORGE WYTHE
RICHARD HENRY LEE
THOMAS JEFFERSON
BENJAMIN HARRISON
THOMAS NELSON, JR.
FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE
CARTER BRAXTON.
New York WILLIAM FLOYD
PHILIP LIVINGSTON
FRANCIS LEWIS
LEWIS MORRIS
Pennsylvania ROBERT MORRIS
BENJAMIN RUSH
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
JOHN MORTON
GEORGE CLYMER
JAMES SMITH
GEORGE TAYLOR
JAMES WILSON
GEORGE ROSS
Delaware CAESAR RODNEY
GEORGE READ
THOMAS M'KEAN
North Carolina WILLIAM HOOPER
JOSEPH HEWES
JOHN PENN
South Carolina EDWARD RUTLEDGE
THOMAS HEYWARD, JR.
THOMAS LYNCH, JR.
ARTHUR MIDDLETON
New Jersey RICHARD STOCKTON
JOHN WITHERSPOON
FRANCIS HOPKINS
JOHN HART
ABRAHAM CLARK
No matter where you are located I hope you can find a way to stop and appreciate something Patriotic to reflect on the greatness of our history and the many who led us through the years to remain as free people. I remember the years serving abroad and the number of foreigners that would share their dreams of coming to America someday and giving their children the same opportunities we have lived with since birth. Even though we have our problems today we must remember there are far worse places we could be today with no freedoms and opportunity to freely wave our flag and celebrate with family and friends.
Ms. Lucy and I are truly blessed to live in small town America where our flag flies high. The stars and stripes are displayed throughout main street. Our town of 2500 will stroll around sporting their patriotic dress awaiting the annual boat parade where 100 or more boats will be decorated with red, white, and blue colors and flags. Families and friends start to gather in the early evening to visit and cheer the sun down and the start of our annual neighborhood fireworks show. As the sky lights up over the lake one can see the hand held American flags being waved by the spectators. I don't know about you but it is a very powerful moment for me personally. I wish you all a very blessed, safe, and joyful celebration of our great nation.
Thursday Zoom Rallies – HFS Thursday Zoom Rally #58 was conducted and the group focused on preparedness learning, current news vetting new prospects, survival communication skills, and ended with the weekly chatter that matters session. HFS welcomed several new Patriots to the group. It was great to see my fellow Patriots again. Thanks for your support and attending this weekly event.
Hope for Survival YouTube - If you haven't already subscribed to the page, please consider doing so. This informs you when HFS post a new video. Spend some time going through the videos. You will find many helpful videos on canning, food preparedness, security and defense in depth, firearm safety discussions with Festus and Jager, another with Dewey Weaver from American Pride Firearms, as well as many other podcast. Thanks for your consideration. Share the link with family and friends. Thanks to everyone who subscribed in the past week.
HFS Mobile Calendar:
July 9, 2021 - Lunch - Waynesville, NC
July 16/17 - Preparedness Training - Central, SC
July 25, 2021 - Training Class - Black Mountain, NC
Aug 27/28 - Preparedness Training - Monticello, KY
Communications: You can now follow HFS social media on the following outlets:
Facebook – Hope for Survival
YouTube Channel – Hope for Survival
MeWe: - //mewe.com/p/hopeforsurvival2
Connect and give me a shout. Share with family and friends.
Moving along …
If you are a guest or newcomer to the HFS journey, please check out this link for additional information offered through HFS. https://www.hopeforsurvival.com/post/guest-and-newcomers-information-page
We must make this brief public announcement to protect the innocent.
Ding, Ding, Ding....Attention HFS readers..... Opinions shared in this newsletter are just that, opinions, and nothing more. Read at your own risk. The owner and author of this site is not responsible for hurt feelings or thin-skinned readers. I do my best to show restraint and respect to the best extent possible. I take as many precautions as possible and try to remain as nonpolitical as possible, however, there are times when I just can't help but point certain things out. Occasionally I use words only Patriots recognize and understand. It's not personal against any non-Patriot. It's just the truth. Sometimes we must pull up our spenders and suck it up. Just saying. Stay the course, read what you want, and avoid the rest. Avoid fear porn as much as possible and the day will be okay. When all else fails… Keep the faith and always have Hope.
Let’s move along and get to some thoughts...
Thoughts for the week –
As I always share with others, what I write about, teach about, or put in books, it is simply my opinion and many others are experienced with their own thoughts, experiences and opinions. Life would be boring with only one opinion. Right? I have even shared how some of my own opinions changed as I aged and matured from a military mindset to a civilian mindset. It may sound crazy but it happened for the better.
Personally, I like to observe things to collect information on traits and personalities of those around me. What type of personality is exhibited when alone or in groups. Is the person aggressive or a listener. If given the chance to speak, what topics will the person bring up normally. Does the topic fit the situation, people, or ongoing conversation. How does other participants in the group react to the inject or topic. Observing is a valuable tool and can often help you decide an initial evaluation of the person before ever engaging them. Certain buzzwords or topics are a no-go with me from a preparedness perspective.
Anyone who studies, reads, and understands the world we live in today will know these buzz words without me posting them in this discussion. Many folks will openly share their displeasure with Big Brother listening to everything yet they will join right in to discussions when these buzzwords are used. A snake hiding under a log does not post a sign ten feet ahead of the path stating "snake ahead, use caution." A person trying to probe or collect information will not email you in advance. A person with potential psychological issues will not bring a note from their doctor giving permission to them to talk to you. YOU will need to stay outside the box and display skills to look for and detect these possible problem areas in advance or during engagement. If you have not read my newest book The Mindset I would encourage you to do so.
Out of fairness to most individuals, I try to give each opportunity the benefit of the doubt when evaluating them for consideration to a group. I'm sure people will do the same to me and that is fair. Some people may be fantastic and a joy to be around, however, how do they fit with a specific group? Looking at a prospect as a number to add to a group to increase their size is a wrong approach and should be readdressed. Adding a new prospect to a group because they are cool to hang out and laugh with is a bad trend to set and negative path to travel down. Remember this, any person(s) you clear to be part of your family/group/tribe/node will most likely have access and exposure to your spouse, children or grandchildren at some point.
The HFS Thursday night zoom group will be working on a vetting checklist for folks to consider using when approaching new prospects for consideration to HFS Groups/Nodes/Tribes/Team...
Here is some questions or comments to consider until the HFS Zoom project is completed.
• Do your homework before planning a meeting with a new prospect. What are your group needs? Do you know your groups desires? One rally point? Members will stay at their own home location during SHTF situations? Are you simply recruiting to expand group numbers and skills?
• Why are you meeting with the prospect?
• What do you know about the prospect before scheduling the meeting?
• Are you using your real name or code name initially until prospect is vetted and cleared? Your prospect may be doing the same.
• As soon as possible, conduct internet search for information on the internet. Many tools available to use.
• Yahoo People Search
• Have you identified a list of nonthreatening questions beforehand to ask the prospect?
• Do you know your group needs in advance? Skills are important but so is the personality (Psychological, honesty, identified traits the person displays during the meeting, experience)
• Do you know what information to volunteer, if anything, about your group?
• How much information do you need from a prospect before considering the individual vetted and allowing access to your group and/or group training?
• If you reach a point that you decide the person is a not a prospect, can you disengage in a non-apparent way to not seem disinterested?
• Does your team know how to review prospects before sending forward for consideration and the first meeting?
• If the prospect at any time starts talking about weapons, explosives, connections to people with these resources, immediately disengage and terminate further contact and communication. This is typically a “red flag” to a plant, snitch, probe, or feds. Report information to your team leader first chance.
• Can you detect when a new prospect is probing for information about you or the group and feel comfortable deflecting the question without it being apparent what you are doing?
• Zoom Group Project: Brainstorm and identify: Categories, pre-meeting questions to know, questions and answers to use during meeting, extracting from a non-prospect meeting…. Will consolidate as a group in next weeks Zoom rally #59.
Next...
I was able to take two days and swing through southern WV to visit family for about 36 hours and take in some West Virginia mountain air. Nice cool evenings was much appreciated after the humidity and heat of Alabama. It is always a treat to visit my sis and brother-in-law just to see their garden. They put a lot of effort in to their garden because they can, freeze and dehydrate much of their growth to hold them over during the winter. They live off their garden, hunting and fishing, as well as a family angus per year. They rarely eat outside their home because most foods with chemicals and processed ingredients will make them sick. Why I'm sharing this with you is because their garden is a bit unique. Why? They grow it in rocks. When the first tilled to grow a garden on the property it was a dirt surface about 2 inches deep. It was an old gravel driveway. So each year my BIL puts down manure and his plants that he starts about six weeks before. Logically it makes sense, right? Gravel drains any excess water off so the roots are watered but not flooded. He also grows everything organic with zero chemicals. I stood in amazement to see how dark green everything appeared with zero bug damage to any of the leaves. He planted most plants around May 1st and these pictures would be about seven weeks later. He has already put away 40 bags of broccoli and cauliflower. My BIL says its the West Virginia mountain air that provides the beautiful gardens year after year. I tend to agree.
Next ...
I often hear folks complain they lack the resources to plant any type of garden. Last year I showed how a person could grow vegetables on a single pallet to give them some fresh produce in confined spaces. Here's a few of the pics from that simple exercise.
This year I expanded it out to show a simple raised bed two box set up with 8 ft by 8 ft gardens. Within this space I have two tomato plants, eight green bean bushes, asparagus, jalapeno plant, green bell pepper plant, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, beets, dill, and lavender, I have a small fence around the boxes to keep local wildlife out. The boxes are connected in squares and filled with dirt. If you have enough wooden strips to build your raised garden higher do so at your own desire. Again, it is not hard once you start putting forth the effort and cost is minimal.
If you are new to gardening I hope you are taking note and printing paper references to help you in the event you lose internet access or connectivity to ask questions. I do believe the time is rapidly approaching where that could be a distinct possibility to some degree. Self-dependency could be the way of the future if you do not have family or a team/group/node/tribe to support your effort and plans for short, medium, or long term food storage. When the store shelves are empty it will probably be to late for you to start collecting the needed resources to build a quality food plan. What are you waiting on?
Okay, lets move along to the news…
Preparedness News –
1. From Laura Neverman - Common Sense Home -Strawberry Banana Jam - Easy Recipe with Less Sugar (commonsensehome.com) - On the surface this recipe sounds very tasty. Imagine after a long day of work you decide on a evening snack....strawberry Banana jam spread over a campfire biscuit. I don't think I need to point out this is a keeper and should be printed for the paper library.
2. From Tara Dodrill - New Life on a Homestead - How to Incubate and Hatch Duck Eggs • New Life On A Homestead - Great information in this article.
3. From Todd - Prepared Christians - Battery Shortage Options for Survival and MorePREPARED CHRISTIANS - Another good article to consider printing for your paper library. Stop and take a look around your home. Do you ever consider all the items you use daily that requires a battery or can be powered by a battery if electricity goes out?
4. From Green Thumb Gardner - When To Fertilize Garlic [Garlic Growing Tips] | Green Thumb Gardener (gardenerthumb.com) - Good information to put with your Herbal information.
5. From Jeannie Beales - Survivalist Blog - 31 Pinto Beans Recipes for Preppers | The Survivalist Blog - Here is another keeper. Anyone who can offer extra ways to make pinto beans taste great is a keeper indeed. The basic recipe is beans and rice or rice and beans. Anything to jazz this one up a bit is a positive, right?
6. From KJ Barber - Ask a Prepper - 23 Things You Should Never Store In A Refrigerator - Ask a Prepper - This would be great to know in the event the grid is down and you do not have alternative power.
Other News –
1. From Jack Cashill - American Thinker - If Joe Goes, What Next? - American Thinker - Do you like to play chess? If so, you will love this article. I used to tease a close family member by saying "you could rub two pennies together and get a quarter." If I used the same phrase applying to politics and this article, I would say "you could rub two pennies together and get a Hillary." Good article and application to the what if scenario....if something happens to Joe BIden. The author, Mr. Cashill recently completed a new book titled The Promised Land - Deplorables Need Not Apply.
2. From Richard Delgado - Orwell City - La Quinta Columna: Analysis of vaccination vial confirms presence of graphene nanoparticles - ORWELL CITY - Anyone who has been following the 5G storyline and expressed importance to it's delivery to launch the new AI world this article will make more sense. (Thanks to our Patriot brother in northern AL for this submission)
3. From They Live 2 - Space Traveler in Alabama - DARPA Hydrogel in COVID Vaccine can create crystals, nano-antennas to receive signals from 5G Tower – Space Traveler in Alabama (spacetravelinalabama.com) - This article goes along with No 2. This is some deep stuff but at least it is here now and not the conspiracy from ten years ago.
4. From John Whitehead - The Rutherford Institute - The Rutherford Institute :: George Orwell’s 1984 Has Become a Blueprint for Our Dystopian Reality | By John W. Whitehead & Nisha Whitehead | - Many who monitor and pay attention to world events and news still lack the ability to connect movie trends to the world we live today. Many simply refuse to read and spend their time watching the lie box and cable news. They will believe what they hear vs spending half the time spent being brainwashed and instead reading and researching points and topics on their own. One of the biggest deficiencies I see are uninformed preparers. Take control of your time management and invest in quality information. You would find yourself less stressed and more informed.
5. The Herland Report -Why Countries Collapse: Exorbitant debt, energy sector problems, corrupt political systems, delusional elites - The Herland Report (hannenabintuherland.com) - This is a excellent read. Folks spend a large degree of personal time focused on national issues yet many of the national problems will impact one less than many local trends and problems.
Drum roll...........
That's all my Patriot brothers and sisters.
Thanks for your emails and messages. I enjoy hearing from you throughout the week and sharing your preparedness projects and accomplishments. I am about caught up on email so please keep them rolling in. I do enjoy hearing from you and reading about what you have going on in your preparedness planning.
Prayers - Please keep our great nation, our elected leaders, military and first responders in your thoughts and prayers. We pray for good health and wisdom. Please pray for our leadership to find answers and guidance to the problems facing our great nation. May your faith remain strong and answers to the unknown provided. God is good and may our prayers blanket and protect you and your circumstances. I pray for each, and every one of our Patriots.
May we pray for all the blessings and things in life to be thankful about and continued hope for revival around the world. We must continually pray for the unsaved, our family and friends who live each day without the protection for eternal life and salvation.
As Patriots we must stay strong and never give up. Our home, community and nation needs us now more than ever. Stay focused on your local community and things that will impact you around the nation. Have a great 4th of July holiday and celebration. Don't allow the events around you to create fear in your life. Build your own self-reliance and focus on hope. Remember we are a blessed nation and we must continue to be great people today and make a better tomorrow. Keep charging."
Blessings,
Bravo Echo Out,
