Silent she stands, a stalwart mistress- keeping watch o'er great harbor. Her face ever calm, serene and still- She speaks not words, but silent eloquence. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Her torch a bright flame, the beacon of hope- shining, glowing, sparkling when dusk draws her curtain. A broken chain at her feet, oppression defeated- the Great Lady speaks neither with speech nor voice- yet her message rings ever true 'cross vast, deep waters. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You are so right, my friend. I could not agree more. Not only do far too many, nowadays, take the true meaning of "liberty" for granted, but, also, they don't truly realize that liberty is for ALL, not just a select few. Today, few, if any, immigrants to our shores arrive by sea; yet, surely, there STILL must be some who have heard the story of "The Lady With The Torch", and yearn to be guided by her shining beacon of welcome!
Yes, and it is truly exhausting and disappointing to realize that hate for fellow humans drives so many today.
I hear you, my friend. These days, it seems as though we are becoming a society of barbarism; look at road rage....people killing one another over over parking spaces, right-of-way, and even killing over a sale item on a store shelf, or a video game. It truly is a sad, sad commentary on our world. When Lady Liberty began welcoming immigrants in 1886, simple things like freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and, plain, simple FREEDOM was all newcomers asked for. Today, we have far too many supremists (of all races and colors) clashing and taking society down even further with each violent encounter. It is so very important that we keep Lady Liberty's ideals alive for ALL; these days, it seems tghat virtually all good folks are "tempest-tost"; if we can do this, then her torch will continue to be a beacon of freedom and hope for generations to come........ "Live long and prosper"
1. WHY THE STATUE OF LIBERTY WAS BUILT The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States on the occasion of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the U.S Declaration of Independence. The sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to design the statue and Gustave Eiffel (the man who designed the Eiffel Tower) designed the iron framework supporting the whole statue. 2. WHEN THE STATUE OF LIBERTY WAS BUILT The Statue of Liberty was built starting from 1875, in Paris, and later was sent to the United States in 1885. The statue, practically, was assembled directly in New York, but before her head and torch were exhibited in the Jardins du Tracadéro (Gardens of the Trocadéro) in Paris. It took 9 years to complete the construction of the Statue of Liberty and 4 months to join the 350 pieces together. The ceremony of dedication was held in New York on October 28th 1886. 3. SIZE AND PEDESTAL OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY The Statue of Liberty is a real colossus. It’s 46, 48 meters high; weighs 204 tons and her feet are 7, 6 meters long. Before being assembled in New York it was necessary to build a base aimed at supporting her weight, and a fund-raising campaign was launched to raise 102.000 dollar to build a huge block of granite on which the statue stands. From above the statue you can enjoy the view of the city of New York and the Harbor. All you have to do is to ascend 354 steps up to the crown. 4. WHY THE STATUE OF LIBERTY IS A SYMBOL Her size makes it visible from 40 kilometers away from New York, and for this reason the Statue of Liberty has been the first image of the United States for many travellers arriving in New York For many people seeing that statue meant being arrived at last in a place where to start over and make their dreams come true. 5. CURIOUS FACTS ABOUT THE STATUE OF LIBERTY In the Statue of Liberty you can see the symbols of this work: the torch represents the eternal fire of freedom; the broken chains at her feet symbolize the end of the monarchy; the tips of the crown are the 7 seas and continents; the tablet she holds in her right hand inscribes the date July 4 1776, the date of the U.S Declaration of Independence.
Oh man----that's such an enduring (??) , inspiring set of words that I truly wish EVERYONE here would take to heart and believe. I repeat post 4. What other country in the history of countries has announced to the world the kind of place that we are, as expressed in the words of Emma Lazarus? Absolutely no other.
OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lady Liberty has long been known as "The Mother of Exiles"; Bartholdi (Lady Liberty's proud "papa") used his mother, Charlotte, as the model for the Statue of Liberty. I have long, long ago stopped thinking of this most impressive and beautiful lady as just a man-made creation of steel and copper. She is ALIVE......as ALIVE as ALL she stood for.....and STILL stands for. More interesting trivia: 1: Though long a symbol of New York City, Lady Liberty is actually a full-fledged "Jersey Girl"; Liberty Island is within New Jersey's border (Jersey City, to be exact); in fact, the electric power for the statue and the island come from PSE&G, NJ's largest utility. 2: Until the early 1900's, Liberty was under the jurisdiction of the old US Lighthouse Department; her torch had been classified as an aid to navigation, but, as more and more electric lights on shore came on line, the light of the torch became ineffective. She was then transferred to the War Department; in later years, the US Parks Department became her caretaker. 3: Prior to the erection of the Statue on Beloe's Island (then an Army base), Liberty's head and torch were exhibited here in the US, first in Philadelphia, and then in Manhattan. 4: Until 1916, visitors could climb a steep, ladder-like stairway to the torch, and stand out on the balcony, and enjoy a breath-taking view of the harbor. However, after the infamous Black Tom explosion of 1916, set off by German spies in the Jersey City rail yards, just west of the statue, Liberty's upraised arm received some damage. After 1916, as a safety measure, the torch was closed to tourists........ "Live long and prosper"
