Individual Liberty — Individual Responsibility

For those we lost, We will not forget 09/11/2001

“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 of 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.”
— The Continental Congress, July 4, 1776

“The task of statesmanship has always been the re-definition of these rights in terms of a changing and growing social order.”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt (Commonwealth Club Address, 1932)

“Roosevelt was wrong! The principles laid down in the Declaration of Independence are the principles of individual liberty. Our unalienable rights, given to us by God are given to us as individuals. Our rights do not come from society or the government, and they cannot be redefined by politicians. The nature of these rights carries with it the implication of individual responsibility, without which we surrender them.”
— Perri Nelson, November 6, 2008

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Thursday Thirteen Number 17

Published Thu, Aug 16 2007 4:04 PM

Thirteen photos from the Great Smoky Mountains

When I was a young boy my family met up with my mom's sister's family in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It was a rather fun experience in our nation's first, and largest national park.

This week my wife and I have taken a vacation to Tennessee to visit my mom in Sevierville. Naturally the trip includes a couple of visits to the Smoky Mountains… Unlike many of our national parks, admission to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is still free.

Here's the three of us at the entrance to the park closest to Pigeon Forge.
A view from the Tennessee — North Carolina Border
One of the early settlers to Cades Cove built this house. Way back there.
Inside the Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church
Signpost at the entrance to the graveyard behind the Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church
No Militia Revolutionary War
One thing that I absolutely cannot understand, or stand, about people that visit historic places is the need to deface them by carving their names and the date into every flat surface they can find. People like to be remembered, but do you really want to be remembered for defacing historic artefacts?
An old waterwheel
A rather interesting barn
For the Permanent Enjoyment of the People

This park was given
one half by the peoples and states
of North Carolina and Tennessee
and by the United States of America
and one half in memory of
Laura Spelman Rockefeller by the
Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial
founded by her husband
John D. Rockefeller
Near the Oconaluftee visitor center is an old farmstead that's been preserved for tourists.
Here's the barn.
A quiet stream

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Kristee responded with: Great Pics!

#7 I w/ you on that one...sheesh...
Looks like you had a wonderful time. I've been once and would love to take the kids next time.

Have a great weekend!
Kristee

kotabear responded with: beautiful!

Lovely photographs. Isn't it nice to just take a break from it all? I'll have to add this national park to my list of places to see! Thanks for sharing your T13 this week!

Angel responded with: