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These Truths We Hold?
By Julia Pratt '09
STAFF WRITER

In 1976, the year of the bicentennial, a group of college students went around downtown Washington D.C to conduct a survey. They asked people to read a petition, and sign it if they believed in it.

The petition was the Declaration of Independence, but was untitled, so it was up to the reader to figure out what it was, and then decide for her or himself whether to sign. Despite the increased 'patriotic' fervor caused by the Bicentennial celebrations, many people declined to sign, stating that the language was too inflammatory.

This fall, the Voice replicated the experiment to determine how many Sweet Briar girls would recognize the petition as the document that set forth the creation of our country, and how many would be willing to sign it.

In all, Voice reporters spoke to 79 students, slightly over 10% of the campus’ overall population. Of those polled, 51 agreed to sign the Declaration, 11 refused to read it, 6 recognized it and refused to sign it, and 11 could not recognize it and did not sign it.

Of those 65 who did sign, 17 described themselves as Republicans, 13 as Democrats, 1 as an Independent, 4 as unaffiliated, and 16 chose to not list their affiliations.

Neither major party signed significantly more than the other, so it is difficult to comment on political differences – or perhaps Sweet Briar’s campus is just fairly divided. The majority of those asked did sign, suggesting that SBC students are that much aware of the importance of the Declaration’s principles not only in history, but today. Of those who read the petition, more than 70% recognized it.

There were, of course, a variety of personal responses. More than one student asked whether the document was directed specifically at President Bush, rather King George III. There were some students who asked the reporter if she was aware that we were no longer subjects of British rule. There were also students who asked if the ‘petition’ meant we actually were still under it.

There were also students who read the Declaration the whole way through, and disagreed with some of its statements, notably those on the military offenses committed by the crown in the 1770s.

Even those who did not apply it so specifically to a single leader were curious about what it was for, what it meant, and if their identities would be revealed. Most, however, were simply eager and intrigued by the presentation of our nation’s founding document.