Joins us for a spirited public discussion of the document we celebrated over the weekend. Scholar Meg Mott will provide background and lead discourse for an in-person program at Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St. in Brattleboro.
The Declaration of Independence starts with the assertion of "self-evident" truths and concludes with a pledge of solidarity through bloodshed. Abolitionists, Suffragists, and the Black Panther Party copied its words verbatim in their subsequent demands for justice. The protestors that stormed the U.S. Capitol yelled "1776!" a reference to the year the Declaration was drafted. If there is one thing that connects these disparate groups, it is the promises of the Declaration.
We'll consider how the words printed on a single parchment in 1776 continue to inspire demands for freedom and to justify violent insurrections. What constrains that audacious statement that the People have a right to "abolish" their government should it fail to deliver their freedoms? Does this Declaration still serve us in 2021?
After twenty years of teaching political theory and constitutional law to Marlboro College undergraduates, Meg Mott has taken her love of argument to the general public. Her award-winning series Debating Our Rights on the first ten amendments brings civil discussions on contentious issues to public libraries and colleges.
The program is free and open to the public and the venue is accessible by wheelchair.
For more information call 254-5290 or visit http://www.brookslibraryvt.org
Nov 17, 2024, 4 to 5 PM
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