Tuesday - July 04, 2006

America

One small slip of paper - parchment, actually. Fifty-six signatures boldly inked at the bottom. This is the most important piece of paper in the entire world to me. It means more than any amount of paper money, more than any lucrative contract and infinitely more than any newspaper or other publication - with the exception of the Bible.

If I were tasked to defend mankind and offer proof of humanity’s intelligence and basic decency, this is the only evidence I would need. These are the most powerful words in the English language and still stand today as the model of human decency.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”. What we’re saying is that it should be obvious what we’re about to tell you and that is that every human being comes into this world on an equal basis with every other human. We’re all in this together regardless of the color of our skin, our religion, or ethnic origin. It took a bloody civil war and unimaginable bloodshed for the rest of this country to start to live up to those words.

“that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. In one small phrase these men acknowledged their Creator and spelled out the three basic “rights” that every human being, everywhere expects: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Basically, we all want to live and live free of oppression and while we’re at it we want to live our lives in a way that brings happiness. Live. Free. Happy. Every other so-called “right” derives from those three basic needs.

“That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”. Now we get to the heart of the matter - the fact that we need government to maintain order so that all men may enjoy those three basic rights. However, that government has an obligation and a responsibility to be answerable to the people it governs. “Consent of the governed” is the key phrase and when this document was written, that idea by itself was a unique, new concept on the face of the Earth. Government is given power by the people and the people can take that power away if necessary.

“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”. In turn, the people also have a responsibility. If the government acts wrongly, it is the obligation and responsibility of the people to get rid of it and replace it with a more just and honest government. In other words, the people are enjoined to keep an eye on their government, to participate in that government and most importantly, to be prepared to take whatever measures are necessary in the event that government becomes oppressive or ignores its responsibility to the people it governs.

This was the birth of a nation. It was also the birth of a new concept for humanity - not just Americans but for all people everywhere. So in that spirit I offer this birthday greeting to America ... and to freedom. May there be many more birthdays to come. May we all treasure the gifts we receive today - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We also need to be reminded of the price that has been paid and still remains to be paid in order to continue these annual birthday parties. As citizens of these United States of America, we have an obligation to defend our claim to these rights and a responsibility to maintain oversight on the government we have chosen. Happy birthday, America. I love you.

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.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, 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.--That to secure these rights, 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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Posted by The Skipper     on 07/04/2006 at 07:41 AM   
Filed Under: • Patriotism •  
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Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

1. Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
2. Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
3. Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
4. Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere

It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

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