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X-WR-CALNAME:East Bay DSA
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TZID:America/Los_Angeles
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DTSTART:20260308T030000
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DTSTART:20261101T010000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260625T125203Z
UID:7f656ef6-5d33-40b0-b57e-60f95e973a49
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260628T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260628T123000
DESCRIPTION:<p>This year is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Ind
 ependence and its proclamation that all men are created equal\; that they 
 have unalienable rights to life\, liberty\, and the pursuit of happiness\;
  and that they have the right to establish governments to secure these rig
 hts. Trump and the Republicans have been wrapping themselves in the flag a
 nd claiming they are upholding these principles. The Democrats are also wr
 apping themselves in the flag and claiming only they can defend us against
  Trump by upholding the Constitution. Of course\, neither the Democratic n
 or the Republican Party is interested in universal and equal rights or a g
 overnment and economy created of\, by\, and for the people. </p><p>This pr
 esentation will explore the context\, contradictions\, influence\, & conte
 mporary significance of the Declaration's assertion of universal and equal
  human and political rights. It will argue that this assertion was and sti
 ll is revolutionary. </p><p>The presentation will be followed by a group d
 iscussion. Food will be provided. Folks can attend via Zoom or in person a
 t the EBDSA office. <span></span></p><p><strong>Suggested Reading: </stron
 g></p><p><a href="https://declaration.fas.harvard.edu/resources/text">The 
 Declaration of Independence</a> </p><p>Luke Pickrell\, “<a href="https:/
 /jacobin.com/2025/07/independence-day-constitution-democracy-bicentennial"
 >This July 4\, Let’s Resolve to Win an Actual Democracy</a>.” </p><p>F
 rederick Douglass\, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” <a href
 ="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1haOfXXs2cTdNSXbZi6d_rPhAf4baDJmex-n1
 FkgHT-o/edit?usp=sharing">Excerpts</a>.</p><p>Eugene Debs\, Independence D
 ay Address. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/13CKYgyeuPevHEfoL-
 BUQRCywDDxX_WJIwXLeD1EHXJk/edit?usp=sharing">Excerpts</a>.</p>
LOCATION:1610 Harrison St Suite D\, Oakland\, CA\, 94612
SUMMARY:250 Years Without Democracy: The Significance of the Declaration of
  Independence
URL;VALUE=URI:https://www.eastbaydsa.org/events/5190/2026-06-28-250-years-w
 ithout-democracy-the-significance-of-the-declaration-of-independence/
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