The Old Soul

This episode reveals that the Declaration of Independence was not a sudden American Invention but the culmination of a ling British constitutional tradition. Beginning with the Magna Carter (1215) and continuing through the Petition of Rights (1628), Habeas Corpus Act (1679), and the Glorious Revolution (1688) with its English Bill of Rights (1689). Britain developed a political culture build on due process, limited monarchy and consent of the governed. Thinkers such as Locke (1689), Sidney (1698) and the authors of the Cato Letters (1720-1723) gave colonists a vocabulary that justified resistance to tyranny. By 1776, the colonists believed that Parliament had violated the very rights Englishmen fought for in 1642, 1688, and after. The Declaration was not a break from Britain-it was the colonists’ claim to be true heirs of Britain’s own constitutional revolution.

In this episode Linc talks about the meaning of Against the Throng, his philosophies on history, politics, and life.

Although Edmund Burke (1729-1797) sympathized with many of the American colonies' grievances, he opposed their break from Britain. He argued that the colonists already enjoyed constitutional liberties embedded in British tradition, and that the Declaration of Independence’s abstract natural-rights theory was vulnerable to misuse by unscrupulous actors. For Burke, the revolution threatened the inherited liberties the colonists possessed.

Every year, from June 7 to 15, devotees gather to honor the Goddess Vesta. This eight-day celebration recreates the ancient Vestalia. Then, the goddess of the hearth and sacred fire was honored by cleaning her temples, offering sacrifices, and going barefoot. While temples may no longer exist, many still celebrate in their own way.

As the Fourth of July approaches, Americans will once again celebrate the nation’s founding and the people who shaped its course. This Independence Day marks the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence—the defining document of the Revolution and a cornerstone of American history. Historians and poets alike have long praised its message, with many viewing it as an inspiration not only to the United States, but to the wider world.

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Beltane is a pagan holiday celebrated on May 1st. In many parts of the world, people gather, dressed in exotic clothing, chanting prayers to the god Bel. These rituals often feature loud drums and bonfires, which participants may jump over for various reasons, such as seeking good luck. The fire is considered sacred and is believed to purify those who take part. Many claim that it possesses “magical and transformative properties,” and that the smoke from these sacred fires brings “good fortune” to those in attendance.

One of the topics currently being debated is the filibuster. The filibuster is a tactic by which a U.S. senator can protest a bill they oppose by delivering a lengthy speech to delay a vote and sway others to their position. Although some credit Aaron Burr (1756-1836)1 as the father of the filibuster, precursors to the practice existed as far back as ancient Rome. The earliest documented prolonged speech in the United States occurred in 1790, when senators from Virginia and South Carolina attempted to block a vote to temporarily house Congress in Philadelphia.