Knocking Down a King on 4th of July

Knocking Down a King on 4th of JulyKnocking Down a King on 4th of JulyIt is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.That was Theodore Roosevelt speaking at the Sorbonne in 1910 and I run this quote every Independence Day because, well, its awesome its fierce.Im reminded of ferocity often on my morning jogs in Manhattan. I live Downtown and my route takes me down the river and up Broadway past the Charging Bull.A favorite part of the run is coming through Bowling Green and the metal fence that surrounds the small park.The tops of all the fence posts have been chopped off - by vandals, you might thinkbut these were very patriotic vandals as the act occurred way back on July 9, 1776 On July 9, 1776, after the Declaration of Independence was read to Washingtons troops at the current site of New Yorks City Hall, local Sons of Liberty rushed down Broadway to Bowling Green, where they toppled the statue of King George III. The fence post finials of cast-iron crowns on the protective fence were sawed off, with the saw marks still visible today.Knocking down a king and cutting the crowns off the fence that protects him - let me tell you I get a little boost in my pace every time I run by.Our American heroes have given us a wonderful country to enjoy this week, and every week, Readers.Have a great 4thIm rooting for you.