John Hood's Daily Journal:

Carolina Journal John Hood's Daily Journal

Tuesday 25th, 2011


RALEIGH – If you think you know the whole story of how the American Declaration of Independence came to be, I challenge you to read Pauline Maier’s fascinating American Scripture, first published in 1997, and see if you don’t come away from the experience with new and surprising insights.

Having picked up a couple of the concise book a couple of months ago from one of my favorite used bookstores, I found myself dog-earing page after page and scribbling down notes for further research. I went into American Scripture as an admirer of Thomas Jefferson and many of his colleagues in the Continental Congress. I finished the book with an even-greater appreciation of their accomplishments.

Imagine you are given a major writing assignment on June 11, with a due date of June 28. Imagine further that you will not be working alone, that you will serve on a drafting committee with four other people, several of whom have strongly held opinions that do not always comport with your own.

Also imagine that in addition to this writing assignment, you are also asked to work on several other major projects at the same time. Finally, imagine that after your small committee finishes its work, your writing assignment will then be edited by dozens of other opinionated people over whom you have little influence.
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