I don’t think enough of us really appreciate how unique this country is. We have rights and civil liberties that many citizens of other countries envy. Because of these liberties, we are also the most prosperous nation on earth. We can never forget what has made this country so well off and we should never aspire to anything less than what has worked so well in the past.
The document that we celebrate every July 4th is truly unique, I don’t know of any other country that started out as a declaration of it’s citizens’ independence from a government. If you haven’t read it recently, you really should. You can find the text here. Pretty strong stuff, ballsy to the extreme, and truly inspired. hose guys were made of different stuff than Americans of today, that’s for sure.
“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. ”
They had a pretty clear vision of government and we’ve stuck to that fairly well, all things considered. Nothing is perfect of course. Even then the document smacked of hypocrisy when it came to slavery. All men are created equal eh? It has taken a while, but women and Africans are now considered part of mankind. How long would it have taken without a document like this guiding us?
The documant lists many grievances against king George. A current George in the White House would do well to reread it…
“He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.”
“He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.”
“He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.”
?He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:”
“For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:”
That last one has more to do with citizens of other countries but it certainly reeks of the powers of a monarchy…. What can we expect, W was never much of a student…
Isaac