Someone probably sent you the email "The Price They Paid," about the signers of the Declaration of Independence and what fates befell them as a result of their signing that revolutionary document. I received several copies, forwarded by well-meaning friends.
But I flinch, having learned that almost every tidbit of information that comes to me over the internet needs to be viewed with abject skepticism. Thanks to www.snopes.com, urban legends and spurious emails can be vetted before they are resent in all their misinformational glory.
Embellishing history to make it more heroic or dramatic does a disservice to those who sacrificed their "lives, fortunes and sacred honor" in the cause of American independence. The truth is dramatic enough. For the real story, you can read it here: http://www.snopes.com/history/american/pricepaid.asp, and avoid forwarding this error-laden email yourself.
I plan on celebrating today with homage to those thinkers and doers who had the courage to embrace the concept of individual liberty and envision a nation based on it. We have often forgotten or ignored their example, and arguably voted ourselves into new forms of modern tyranny, but their accomplishment was truly extraordinary. It changed the world.
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