Why Five Riders?
Roughly 250 years ago, five riders took to nighttime roads to warn their neighbors of an imminent military threat to the colonists who were about to throw off their imperialist overlords. The most famous, Paul Revere only got part way on his planned ride and was captured. He was joined and assisted by William Dawes (who was thrown from his horse) and Samuel Prescott, who actually made it all the way to Concord after the three had to try to avoid hostile forces on the way.
Another rider, perhaps mythical, was post rider Israel Bissell who carried the message of impending hostilities from Boston to Philadelphia. The last rider was 16-year old Sybil Ludington, who rode 40 miles at night to warn the colonists at Danbury, Connecticut of the approach of the British. For more detail on the five riders, go here where I first learned of them: https://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-declaration-of-independence/the-five-riders/
While there is a certain romantic appeal of the image of riders on horseback negotiating uncertain nighttime roads and avoiding hostile forces to warn their neighbors, the idea of raising an alarm of impending danger for one’s neighbors seems to have present currency when democracy is in such peril from the foreign and domestic forces of autocracy. So this newsletter will be devoted to addressing the on-going threats to democracy here and elsewhere on the planet.