T H E   F R E E D O M   T R A I L

Boston, Massachusetts

Faneuil Hall is my next point of interest on the trail. To get there, as usual, I just follow the red line. I wonder, when they were drawing up plans for The Freedom Trail was there any infighting on what color to designate the stripe? Can you just imagine, if back in 1958 when the trail was created, the political climate was the same as it is now? The environmentalists would be lobbying for green, the Hari Krishnas would be humming a mantra promoting orange, and the gay and lesbian alliances would be lobbying for a rainbow of colors.

On the way I snap a few shots of the surrounding skyscrapers. I like the way they bend to the left and right, makes you wonder if I played around with the pictures post-exposure, which I didn't.

Finally, I'm now within eyeshot of Faneuil Hall. Taking two years to complete, the original structure was finished in 1742 and provided ample space for a public market and meeting hall. The version you see here is a replacement of the original two-story structure which burned to the ground in 1761. Rebuilt in 1763 to its current four-story configuration, it was used so frequently by the American Patriots that it was quickly dubbed the "Cradle of American Liberty."

The statue in front of Faneuil Hall is that of Samuel Adams. I think there's some special rule behind statues. Let me think. If the person served in the military, at a minimum, they're depicted sitting atop a horse. It they were injured in battle, one of the horse's front legs is raised, if they were killed in battle, both front legs are raised off the ground.

As you can see, there's no horse for good ole Samuel. That's because he was a politician, not a military man. It seems to me back during the colonial times the politicians were far more virtuous and selfless in their actions than the politicians of today (i.e., all signers of the Declaration of Independence risked their lives by doing so, and many of them lost their fortunes, and some, their lives, as a result).

Having said all that, I think statues of politicians should come in two genres; those free of bird poop and those covered with it. Politicians free of it are those like Samuel Adams who, by and large, were great people with much foresight and aptitude, others (you can take your pick as to who should be - it seems pretty easy to find them in this day and age) who are not so great, deserve a good slathering of bird droppings.

Hey Boston! Please get someone out there to clean up Samuel Adams and all the other statues of the great politicians of the Revolution. It's the least we can do to commemorate them for all their hard work and sacrifice. It is upon their shoulders that our country stands, so let's all be thankful and show our appreciation by keeping them clean.