“The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,”
So starts one of the most important documents in our history.
Much more than just words on a page. They are ideas, ideals and rights.
It is not just about the birth of this great Nation, it is about how we accomplished it.
We didn’t just become free, we desired freedom. We didn’t just fight to be free, we declared our intentions. We aired our grievances, and laid the foundations for our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and way of life.
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
Each person signing this document was committing an act of Treason against Great Britain, an action punishable by death. With this Declaration, and the actions that followed, the thirteen colonies would forever be free.
While each colony may have been different, we stood as ‘one people’.
Our differences make us unique, but our beliefs unite us.
We are united in our commitment that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
A new Nation was formed with a new government: “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
‘Just powers from the consent of the governed.’ Perhaps some of the most important and sometimes overlooked words in the Declaration. Our government only has certain powers. Those powers are granted by the people. We cannot forget that the government doesn’t give us rights, they are ours.
Liberty and Freedom are still important tenets of our lives. Every day, brave men and women put on uniforms and risk their life defending our beliefs. They don’t fight for our government, they fight for our People. Every day, I’m thankful for all who work tirelessly to protect and defend our freedoms.
We remain a diverse people; it is one of the things that makes these United States great. We will always have our differences, but we must always bring with them respect. Respect for other opinions, other cultures, and other ideas. Our rights come responsibilities, to ourselves and to each other.
As we celebrate today, remember the reason, remember the risk, and remember the sacrifice.
Above all else, remember our rights and that the protection of those rights is the responsibility of the government. We must continue to ensure that the People, and our Rights, come first.
After 239 years, we’re still learning, but with continued trust and respect, this government of the People, by the People and for the People, shall not perish from this Earth.
Happy Birthday, America.
July 4, 2015
“The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,”
Much more than just words on a page. They are ideas, ideals and rights.
It is not just about the birth of this great Nation, it is about how we accomplished it.