BEN FRANKLIN DAY

As most of you know, on January 15 we celebrate the passing of one of America's great leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King. But did you know that two days later is the Birthday of another of America's great leaders, a man that without, America may not have ever been formed? A man who secured the help of France at the onset of the American Revolution, who's inventions changed the life of every American. A man who printed the first political cartoon, who's words are quoted by nearly everyone. A man who helped draft and then signed the Declaration of Independence, that was the first Ambassador of the United States, who started Fire Departments and the Postal System. That man was my hero, Ben Franklin.

We live in a world without worthy heros. I'm not saying that there isn't any great people to be admired, I'm just saying that in my eyes, they all fall short. When I decided to get a Myspace account, to hopefully increase the amount of people who read my column, the "heros" part of it remained empty as I struggled to think of any person I could honestly call my hero. For a while John Lennon was the only one I could think of and he actually falls way short. I never could understand why he treated his son Julian the same way that he complained that his father had treated him. Abandoning him for long periods and then drifting in and out of his life. Why is it we repeat the mistakes of our parents instead of learning from them? I checked out other people's heros in an effort to find someone I had forgot about. The list was strange to say the least. Bill Maher, Michael Moore, Jon Stewart, entertainers and sports figures. Then my son reminded me of someone I had forgotten, the one person I felt was truly worthy of admiration, Benjamin Franklin.

Ben Franklin was born January 17, 1706, one of 17 children, in Boston, Massachusettes. At age 15 he became a apprentice printer for his brother's newspaper, The New England Courants. Since his brother would not publish any of his articles, young Ben started submitting them under the pseudonym Silence Dogood, a ficticious widow, and probably the first published Feminist. So popular were his pieces, that people began clamoring for the author to step forward, and after 16 pieces Ben confessed to being the author. His brother however, was jealous of Ben's newfound fame and wouldn't publish any more of his pieces. Frustrated, Ben ran away to start a new life in Philadelphia. After working a while as a apprentice printer, Ben purchased the Philadelphia Gazette and began writing in ernest. The Gazette soon became the colonies most successful newspaper.

From there Ben's achievements rained down steady. Author, Postmaster, politician, Fire Marshal, insurance agent, and inventor. We all know Ben's contribution to our understanding of electricity, (he discovered the principle of positive to negative flow) but are you aware of some of Ben's other inventions? He invented swim fins, bifocals, the Franklin stove, the lightning rod, the odometer, improvements to the printing press, postal distribution points, fire stations, the catheter, and Daylight Savings to name a few. And most respectfully, did not patent two of the most important; the Franklin Stove and the Lightning Rod because he felt they were too important to humanity to profit on. What modern day inventor would have been so generous?

Ben's contributions to this country as a politician can hardly be overstated. He was pivotal in the decision to separate from England. His writings to his followers in the Gazette helped form opinions that directly caused the uprisings against England. His cult-like status in Europe helped aline help from the French in the Revolutionary War. He helped draft both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and continued until his death April 17, 1790 to be both Ambassador and Statesman of the United States No single person more directly caused this country to be formed and liberated than Benjamin Franklin.

So why is Ben forgotten by the citizens of this country? He had an illegitiment child, William, and that was frowned on very much in Franklin's time. (He claimed that was his one great regret, not having married his mother first.) Maybe it's because of some of the erronious claims made about Ben, that he was unfaithful and atheistic. I found no real evidence that would support those claims, although I've seen lots. Ben was married to his one true love, Deborah Read Rogers for 44 years. Ben kept several pews in several churchs throughout Philadelphia. I think some people confuse Ben's reluctance to swear alligence to one church with his not being a man of faith, for you people I offer this quote by Ben, "[I believe] That there is one God, who made all things. That he governs the world by his providence. That he ought to be worshiped by adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving. But that the most acceptable service of God is doing good to man. That the soul is immortal. And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice, either here or hereafter."

Was Ben Franklin perfect? No, no one is. But in a world filled with heros who throw balls, tell jokes, or write songs, the achievements of a man as great as Ben Franklin stands out as stupendous and unequaled in our time. Never has one man who has done so many wonder things and effected each of our live so much, been so ignored. We need to stop this injustice and give Ben what he deserves.... Ben Franklin Day, January 17. H.C.