This
Fourth of July, Hillsdale College is encouraging all
Americans to read our Declaration of Independence
aloud where ever they may be celebrating. This is a
great idea. Reading America’s birth certificate
surrounded by family and friends leads to the
inescapable conclusion there truly is something
special about America. In barely two-thirds of a
page, Thomas Jefferson launched a revolution,
creating a new nation which has bestowed more good
upon all humanity than any other event in history.
If you remember nothing else in any of America’s
founding documents, remember the first two sentences
of the second paragraph of the Declaration of
Independence; it’s a mere 54 words. They define
American liberty. To help launch your discussion and
drive home Jefferson’s points, here is my take on
the 54 words which shook the world.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all
men are created equal…” acknowledges both the
existence of God and His equal creation of mankind.
Previously, the world’s populace believed God
ordained certain bloodlines to be monarchs and
Jefferson’s point no man is born with the right to
rule another was a shockingly new idea.
Upon creation, God granted mankind certain
“…unalienable rights, that among these are life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Prior to
1776, the conventional wisdom held your rights came
from a king and thus could be bestowed or removed on
a whim. Natural rights come from God; granted upon
your creation. The Constitution provides the
framework for government and specifically prohibits
the governments taking of your natural rights. For
example, the First Amendment blocks the government
from revoking your natural right to freedom of
expression or practice of religion. It is these
Constitutional restrictions the left finds
intolerable and for 100 years progressives have
subtly advanced the concept of created rights;
defining every human need as a right which can only
be delivered through wealth redistribution
techniques of big government. However, because
government does not work, grow weary, or feel pain;
it can only steal and give away what is earned by
the sweat of others. Therefore, created rights, such
as the right to healthcare, destroy freedom because
somebody always pays the bill, be it you, your
neighbor, or a generation not yet conceived.
Collectivism is a failed system; it always has been
and always will be.
“That to secure these rights, governments are
instituted among men, deriving their just powers
from the consent of the governed.” The two keywords
here are “secure” and “consent.” As before,
government does not grant your rights, it only
secures them and then only after receiving your
consent. I have the natural right to protect my
life, but I have given the government consent to
provide peace officers to assist me in that
endeavor. I have not surrendered my natural right of
self-defense and it remains with me until God calls
me home.
This brings us to the final words“…we mutually
pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and
our sacred honor.” Although not in the second
paragraph, this closing phrase is so noteworthy I
must include it. Obviously, the 56 signers of our
Declaration of Independence recognized the second
they signed their names, all they had was at risk
and there would be no turning back. Such courage is
void in today’s elected officials mostly because
rather than fighting for freedom, we have become a
nation fighting for free stuff. For 100 years one
party has endorsed the wealth redistribution
principles of Marx, while over 50 percent of the
other party has fully endorsed the principles of
compromise. With a core as solid as jelly, the
appeasers will vote for anything for a pat on the
head and an “atta-boy” from the left. As hard as I
bash politicians, they are only a symptom of a
problem which will never be solved until a majority
of American’s understand the fundamental principles
of liberty and hold elected officials accountable.
The restoration of our great republic must begin
with you because it will not begin with anyone else.
Let this Independence Day be the day you and your
family become patriots. Hillsdale College is right.
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