We can be thankful that on this day, 243 years ago, a few brave men decided to cross the greatest empire in pursuit of an ideal, of evident truth that men are endowed by their creator with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
These ideals set a standard that, though at times it has dipped, has inspired Americans and non-Americans alike.
It gave man the ultimate right as an individual — the right to be an individual even if the whole world wishes otherwise.
It was the beginning of the creation of a system of laws that were set in place to ensure the individual’s right over his government; that it should never infringe on his speech, his thought, his ability to organize, to hear the truth from a free press, to defend himself against enemy or tyrant, and if need be — to once again break the bonds of power and “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.”
While this ideal has and is often forgotten by those pursuing power and particularly in the murky waters of political correctness and political machinations, it remains an ideal that all men can reach for.
It changed the way that we are to view government, no longer as our master but as our servant, a servant we can and should dismiss if ever it becomes derelict in its duty or loyalty to us. Unlike the popular belief of their day, of the right of kings, these men, these fathers — the ultimate patriarchs — gave us the knowledge that we have power over our government and gave us the foresight to know that at times we may need to replace a government or two that does not have the best interests of the people at heart.
As much as our current system tries to help us forget these truths,
“Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
So thank you to the evil “white men” of the past who, despite their personal faults, gave us arguably the most inspired political document mankind has ever known.
Happy 4th of July! Happy Independence Day! And may God bless any who adhere to the ideals outlined on that paper. God bless the United States of America!
Arthur Cleroux
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