Epic of Being George Washington : And Declaration of America's Independence over High Taxes, Usurpations of Power, and No Economic Growth

by Ogunbitan, Festus

• ISBN13: 9781475952131
• ISBN10: 1475952139
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-10-10
• Publisher: Textstream

Summary

Purpose of writing this play is to reclaim the dream of the Father of the Nation, President George Washington by adapting his brainy quotes into Greek style epideictic drama. Also, I wish to explore the conflicts and issues in dialectic of exchange and reply in the political responses of King George III of England, and President George Washington who represented the thirteen colonies of America in the struggle for America's Independence and democratic rule. I have dramatized President Washington, and King George III's arguments based on the articles of the Declaration of Independence through the logic of stated assumptions, and unstated assumptions to discuss the logical soundness of the disputes made by each faction on democratic rule. I have critically analyzed their line of reasonings with the method of Aristotle's catharsis and intellectual purification of the soul. Although democracy has been around since the time of the Greeks, but I have examined the recurring ideologies in the evolution of democracy from the Roman era through the overthrow of King Tarquin the proud, 496 B.C., and the emergence of the first twenty senators or Rex Sacrorum, to the foundation of the new democratic system of government during the period of Quinctius Cincinnatus 456 B.C.. The collapse of the full establishment of democratic government came during the time of Julius Caesar 44 B.C. in the early Roman Republican period; but hope for a free and fair world of democratic government of the people, by the people, and for the people returned through President George Washington in the 1776 A.D. According to Charlene Spretnak in The Resurgence of the Real--Body, Nature, and Place in a Hypermodern World, this evolution of political governance can be called a 'social process of culture.

Excerpts

Act 1 Scene 1 In Philadelphia, General George Washington addresses the first Continental Congress of the thirteen colonies that will form the United States of America. The meeting takes place in 1774. JOHN ADAMS, to some members of the Continental Congress in the hallway of the Conference. Arise, arise, arise, and suppress no more the yoke of high taxes, extravagancy, misrepresentation in government affairs, and usurpations put upon the colonists by the autocratic rule of the kings and the lords of England. STEPHEN HOPKINS Oh thou fellow Congressman, thy words doth indeed herald my feelings to that pronouncement which purges my soul to the meeting of your mind. SAMUEL CHASE Methinks me that I perceive more of the meeting of our minds in the military dressing of George Washington to this meeting. STEPHEN HOPKINS Fellow, in mufti-attire, the British have turned over our 'Coats of Arms' in the rank and file of the army. And in silence, our code of conduct has been encoded by the order of the British monarchy that subordinates the voice of the people. Hence, they levy unbearable taxes upon us, instead of fostering the growth of the colonies' economy. GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON Oh thou fellow Congressmen, my ears cannot harbor the vigor that comes from the theme of your speech. "If we desire to avoid insult, we must be able to repel it; if we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known that we are at all times ready for war" with the British monarchy, and replace their imperial power with a free and fair democratic republic. They applaud his comments, and clap their hands as they walk through the hallway. JOHN ADAMS Indeed the truth is not far from being fetched in the decryption of the words of Commander Washington's assertion. GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON, as they reach the room of the meeting, he stands in the middle, and starts to address them. Being George Washington, I have a dream for the whole nations of the universe. Being George Washington, I am the man of my dreams, and my dream is for the republic of all nations. My dream is of a new world order through new democratic nations for the whole world. My dream shall generate a new paradise of an industrial world that surpasses the kingdom of absolute monarchy, and the yoke of high taxes put upon the colonists by the government of King George III of England. CONTINENETAL CONGRESS, they clap their hands in response again. CAESAR RODNEY Commander, exists any other model of government in the world other than the absolute rule of the kings, the queens, and the pope? GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON Being George Washington, the dream in me is the rebirth of the period of democracy started by the early Roman Republicans--the great Quinctius Cincinnatus who paved the way for real democratic principles of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Cincinnatus created hope for the people as the absolute rule of King Tarquin the Proud was replaced by the first twenty senators or Rex Sacrorum of the early Roman Republican period. CONTINENETAL CONGRESS, they clap their hands in response. THOMAS JEFFERSON Commander Washington, was it not the unjust urge in the Romans themselves that clamped down the rule from the throne of King Tarquin to republicanism? GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON Fie, fie, fie, Mr. Jefferson, it was the unjust fervor in the kings that brought the monarchy to collapse, and paved the way for republican and democratic rule of government of the people in Rome. This was a republican era, which created the hope for elevating the minds of individuals to participate in a form of government in which all citizens had an equal say in the decisions that affected their lives. But unfortunately, the new republic was crumpled by Julius Caesar, and hope for the future was salvaged by the great Emperor Augustus Caesar when the republic was changed to imperial order. Then follows the total collapse of hope through the new kings and queens of the succeeding periods in history. CONTINENETAL CONGRESS, they clap their hands in response. SAMUEL HUNTINGTON Commander, of what motion in thee is that which can assure us that thou arth not as fallible to the autocratic and unprogressive governance of these kings, queens, and popes, that thou questions their authorities? GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON Being George Washington, "I am nothing special, I am average, I am flawed, I am emotional, and I am fallible like these rulers that I question their authorities." But I am one among thee who looks into the future. The future shall not look upon us unless we overlook the pretentious will of the British dictatorship. "For the basis of our political system is the right of the people to make, and to alter their constitutions of government...this is because the constitution is the guide which I never will abandon. For there is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet an enemy." CONTINENETAL CONGRESS, they clap their hands in response. JOHN ADAMS Commander, how steadfast arth thou in fulfilling the dream of this new republic, and its democratic ideal that upsurges within thee? GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON Being Washington, my will is as constant as the northern star, and my spirit is as resolute as the rocks of Mount Olympus. Being Washington, "I am the leader of men, I am fearless, I am the person others will aspire to be for generations" when this new dream, and the new republic of government of the people, by the people, and for the people is fully en-founded in America and the whole world. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Methinks me sir, do thou realize that what has possessed the spirit of the colonists is an imperial order that cannot be dislodged by anyone who believes in orderliness of any government other than the orderliness of the British autocracy. GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON Mr. Franklin, believe you me that this kind of "government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." Therefore, thou shall not assimilate the legacy of King George's crown; its reason for governing and dominion over thee. Thou shall not fear to quench its fire that frightens the colonists as a fearful master. Thou shall need to hold thy hearts in this struggle for thy freedom, liberty and the rights of all. For "arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness." THOMAS JEFFERSON Commander Washington, of what manner of dream is in thee that can prevent the colonists from the extravagancy and usurpations of power by King George III of England? GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON Mr. Jefferson, I hope to prevent the extravagancy and usurpations of power by King George III through a new generation of people with intellectual purification of the soul to fulfill the scientific needs of the world. This nation of pure minds shall operate with individual reasoning, and this shall negate the superstition of the British idea which says that knowledge is merely subjective; it can only be deduced from the reciprocity of inherited powers of give and take from the kings, the queens, and the pope, and that there is no individual desire or objective truth in fostering our economic growth, and solving our problems. Hence, the levy of unbearable taxes.