Podcast Trailer

Introducing to US, from US: a limited series created as part of the Imagining Liberty Project at Teachers College, Columbia University.  As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the series weaves together public intellectual voices and academic voices to explore how people understand the Declaration today. 

What is to US, from US: A Public Response to the Declaration of Independence?

to US, from US is a limited series created as part of the Imagining Liberty Project at Teachers College, Columbia University. As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the series weaves together public intellectual voices and academic voices to explore how people understand the Declaration today.

00;00;01;02 - 00;00;11;22
Andrea
So my question for you is, what does the Declaration of Independence mean to you?

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interviewee
I'm not going to lie, sister. You're going to have to pause that recording. I want to say I gotta brush up on my.

00;00;27;06 - 00;00;48;25
Aldo
Every 4th of July. The United States celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The question that we've grappled with is, what does the Declaration of Independence mean? Well, to answer this question, we've asked the people, and here's what the people had to say.

00;00;48;28 - 00;00;55;29
interviewee
The Declaration of Independence, to me, means I don't know what that means, to be very honest. You.

00;00;56;02 - 00;01;05;09
interviewee
Well, I think the Declaration of Independence is a symbol of freedom for certain people. So to me, the Declaration of Independence stands for freedom.

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interviewee
Yeah. To be free, a free people independent, be able to vote.

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Andrea
I did always feel like it was pretty hypocritical.

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interviewee
And it seems like it's never been put to the test more than it’s being put to the test lately.

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interviewee
The ability for freedom and choice and that we can all have different viewpoints and opinions. That we can all love and care for each other, and...

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interviewee
Well, truth be told, none of it really means anything to me.

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Andrea
Did it ever mean anything?

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interviewee
To me, the Declaration of Independence means more than just freedom from British rule. It's freedom from any kind of tyrannical rule by any government or one person in some position of power.

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interviewee
It. It means nothing to me.

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interviewee
The promise of freedom. I live in a country where we can have certain rights extended to us. And that all kind of stems from that original document.

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interviewee
A prime example of hypocrisy.

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interviewee
That is a form of an experiment and a form of trying something.

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interviewee
It means a work in progress that has a far way to go, to live up to the ideals of the words used in the document itself.

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interviewee
And also, it's a charge to us to make sure that the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is available to all.

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interviewee
I don't know. Does it mean different things for different people?

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Aldo
And that's what we're trying to find out.

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Andrea
My name is Andrea.

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Aldo
And my name is Aldo.

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Andrea
And this is to us, from us.

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Aldo
A public response to the Declaration of Independence.