"Evacuation Day"

I've been invited by a journalism student to comment on our school's upcoming "Evacuation Day" celebration and reading of the U.S. Declaration of Independence on March 17.

1. Dr. S mentioned that your class was taking the lead in the reading of the Declaration of Independence on the Honors College lawn. I was curious if you had any comments on that. 
2.  You had mentioned in your email from yesterday about how the NEH grant would go towards looking at America's founding and all. What does it mean to be able to explore and learn about America's founding and early years from a humanities standpoint? 
3. Any other specific comments 

1. I'm happy to participate, with my Honors Intro class (or "CoPhilosophy," as I prefer to call it) in the Evacuation Day commemoration and reading of the Declaration of Independence. It will be a timely reminder of the great privilege it is to live in a free and democratic society, and of the great fragility of freedom and democracy when its citizens are distracted and its leaders dishonest and uncommitted to honoring the nation's founding ideals. I agree with the historian Walter Isaacson, who identifies the second sentence of the Declaration as "the greatest ever written": 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.

2. The humanities disciplines (history, languages and literature, the arts, communications, philosophy, religious studies) are committed to interpreting and enhancing the human experience and the conditions of human flourishing. The American revolution, with its dedication to universal freedom, justice, individual rights and dignity, and everyone's right to pursue happiness in a society bound constitutionally to those values, was one of the great humanistic milestones in our history. We ought often to celebrate that, and to insist that our leaders honor it. We must hold them and ourselves accountable for failing to uphold and sustain the founders' legacy. Let's hope March 17 reinvigorates our commitment to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and justice for all.

3. I'd like also to take this opportunity to invite MTSU students to consider the American Culture minor (I am its current advisor).* I don't think there's ever been a more important moment for those who believe in American ideals to study the conditions under which they may succeed or fail.

*American Culture Minor Philosophy and Religious Studies Advisor: Phil Oliver The 18-hour interdisciplinary minor in American Culture is intended for students who want to explore a variety of disciplines as a way of thinking about U.S. culture. This minor is ideal for students who have wide-ranging interests. It is also an excellent choice for students who are politically engaged and want to understand contemporary U.S. culture and its problems. It is especially suited for students who wish to highlight the liberal arts element of their education.