NOT LOSING SIGHT OF THE REAL REASON I BECAME A FRIEND

It is very difficult to live in Philadelphia and not be aware that it contains the most historic square mile in America.  We are surrounded by historic buildings, plaques and statuary. Tours of the historic district, special events on the 4^th of July and carriage rides all remind us of Philadelphia’s place in our nation’s history.  In fact, Philadelphia is Ground Zero as far as American history is concerned.  Everything started right here.  Our founding Fathers really did “begin the world anew.”   Anyone like me with an interest in American history would love to live in Philadelphia.  So why wouldn’t I jump at the opportunity to join the Friends of Independence National Historic Park, immerse myself in history and contribute to efforts to support the Park?

But there was more than just an interest in history that led me to join.  An event I witnessed on a cold December evening in the year 2000 continues to remind me why the Park and Independence Hall are so important.  That evening, I was walking down Chestnut St. at about 7 PM.  Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court had just ruled, 5 to 4, that George W. Bush should be our next president.  As I approached the southwest corner of 6^th and Chestnut, I saw a girl, about 20 years old, walking down 6^th St. toward Independence Hall.  Her hair was styled in a shocking pink Mohawk, she was wearing high black motorcycle boots and her face was studded with earrings.  She was wearing a sandwich board, on both sides of which were printed, in bold, black letters: “[expletive deleted} BUSH! “ Not the sort of person you would fail to notice.

As she walked toward Chestnut St., one of the rangers patrolling around the Hall strolled toward the corner.  She certainly noticed him.  But she kept on walking.  And he didn’t say a word, or even appear to really notice her.  When he reached the corner he turned around and began walking the other way.  When I began to think about it, I realized that this little tableau exemplified, centuries after the fact, the significance of our origins as a nation.  But why was this incident so noteworthy?  Nothing happened on that December evening, right?  Yes, that’s right, and that’s what’s important.  Not only was Miss Sandwich Board free to express her critical views of the next president in a wholly rude and insulting way, right in front of the shrine to independence, she fully expected to be free to do so, and our Park Ranger, representing our government, evidently felt the same way.  Thomas Jefferson et al. would have sighed with satisfaction had they witnessed the scene.

This is why I joined the Friends -- to have the opportunity to remind myself why the Park is so special and why it is so important to support it.  What happened here in the 18^th century worked, and it’s still working.

~Antoinette R. Stone
  FINHP Member and Governing Board Member