Christmas Day, 1776, 2400 patriots crossed the Delaware at night under Washington's command.

[Tom Rinaldo]

Their surprise attack on the Hessiens that resulted brought about a sudden favorable reversal of fortunes for the Americans. Had they not succeeded on that cold fraught Christmas Day and Night, the American Revolution could well have been lost, and with it the infant Democracy that they were all sworn to defend. It was not easy. It was not undertaken at a convenient time. It was not how any of them wanted to spend Christmas Day. It was what needed to be done and they responded, at great risk under severe circumstances. And they prevailed.

Over 240 years have passed, and as Christmas again approaches our Democracy is again under attack. I have plans for the holidays. I'm sure that most of us do. They don't involve mass rallies in the cold and dark. They don't involve marching through the streets. If the weather turns foul my current plan call for staying inside, nice and safe and warm. But if Donald Trump thinks that holiday plans and winter weather will distract me and millions of others from taking immediate action to defend our Democracy should he move to undermine it, by impeding the investigation Robert Mueller is in the midst of - well he is in for a bigger and even more unpleasant surprise than the Hessians faced when the Continental Army showed up at their doorstep.

We owe this to the patriots who preceded us.

[kimbutgar]

1. At Mt Vernon in Virginia

They have an interactive exhibit that puts you there during the events. Fascinating and enlightening. I flashed back on this exhibit reading your post.

[Tom Rinaldo]

2. I would love to see that exhibit

It gives me another reason for wanting to visit Mt Vernon some day. The history surrounding the climatic ending of 1776 is intense. There was nothing at all certain about a victory following that river crossing at night. The situation was pretty grim for the Americans at that point.

[kimbutgar]

3. The house and the exhibits are awesome.

Take the boat from DC down to Mt Vernon really an unforgettable experience. You have to walk up the same path Washington walked when he took the boat from DC to Mt Vernon and arrived at his home.

[ProudLib72]

4. Here is how I imagine it

No hessian oppression is going to stop me!

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. Somehow I managed to miss seeing that before. Thanks! n/t

[appleannie1943]

5. One of my great, great, great,great grandfathers was one of them.

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. Well he sure as hell done good. Little could he know all that would follow...

I have always felt that the :Left has much more to feel proud of regarding the American Revolution than the Right does

[appleannie1943]

8. He was under Lt. David Krause from the Lancaster County militia.

My great grandfather lost a leg fighting for the Union in Virginia in the last month of the Civil War during his second tour of duty. That is why I laugh when some rightie tries to tell me I am a taker that is not patriotic. Every generation of my family up to and including my grandchildren have done their duty to this country.

[Tom Rinaldo]

9. The nation was so much smaller than, so much more personal.

That struck me deeply when I visited Independence Hall in the Summer of 2004. The Republican National Convention had just ended where they renominated George W. Bush. It took place in the huge Convention Center that must have been a full city block or more in size. I was staying near it. Then I went to Independence Hall which pretty much is the size of an elementary school auditorium. A political nomination was rubber stamped at that huge Convention Center. Our nation was launched in Independence Hall.

[sdfernando]

10. I've been there as well and I was struck by the intimacy of that hall

I always envisioned a rather large hall, similar to the one on the 2nd floor. You can't get any real sense from the paintings depicting the signing. And then you see that place where history lives, see how really small it is, and stand in awe of what those people accomplished. Contrast that with our leaders today and you realize we have no leaders now.

[wishstar]

12. I also have a 5th gr grandfather who crossed Delaware and was at Battle of Trenton

He was 19 years old, from Connecticut where he enlisted and served under Col. (later Major Gen.) John Paterson's regiment moving from Boston to New York to Trenton.

[Marengo]

11. What would this immediate action consist of?

[Tom Rinaldo]

13. Here: "Nobody Is above the LawMueller Firing Rapid Response"

https://act.moveon.org/event/mueller-firing-rapid-response/search/

[bdamomma]

16. we are on high

alert.

[Marengo]

19. That hardly seems to compare to the Battle of Trenton as you are suggesting.

[Tom Rinaldo]

20. No it does not. Which is why at the very least we should be willing to give up holiday festivities

if we are plunged into a Constitutional crisis by Trump. That is my point. Thank you for helping me to make it

[Marengo]

21. Do you expect such rallies to have a similar impact or outcome as the Battle of Trenton?

[Tom Rinaldo]

22. No. Not all moments are created equal

But they can have an important impact at a crucial time and they are within our capacity to do and do well, and therefor for those of us who agree that we are on the verge of a significant constitutional crisis it must be our top priority for us to respond immediately and in massive numbers if the moment arises, holiday or not.

[Demtexan]

14. I read somewhere the soldiers were mostly just teenagers.

I had family fight the British in the south.

The Battle of Cowpens.

[bdamomma]

15. I totally

agree with you

[NightWatcher]

17. I've got access to a 20' center console

Load up Wolverines!!!

[GallopingGhost]

18. There is a line from The Pianist

where Vladyslaw Szpilman is in hiding, and he is talking with his female friend who is part of the resistance. They are talking about the Warsaw Uprising, and he bitingly asks what good it did. She replies, "Vladyslaw, I'm surprised at you. They died with dignity; that's what good it did."

The question was asked earlier on DU what good will protesting do? It's to show we won't roll over without a fight, that's what good it will do.

"We owe this to the patriots who preceded us." Yes, we do.