Everyone knows where these words come from, but how many know the next line? I think it's important that while we celebrate Independence Day this weekend we reflect back at what we are really celebrating.
I love source or original documents and think it's very important that every American understand what is contained in the actual documents we talk about. There have been many things written and said about The Declaration of Independence and we talk as if we know this document intimately, but how many times have we read the actual source document? I for one have to admit that I haven't read it enough. I hope to change that starting now. How can we understand and appreciate what our country stands for if we don't know on what it was built on? The answer is we can't and that's what is wrong with our country. Too many of us have relied on others to dictate to us what we know or what we think we know about how our country started. Now, on to the next line.
"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."
Did you notice that in the opening paragraph of the most important document in our country's history has the word God in it? How can this be? Separation of Church and State right? Can you imagine if the ACLU were around in 1776? They would have sued Thomas Jefferson for infringing on their rights!
One of Jefferson's, as well as other American Founders, favorite authors was Marcus Tullius Cicero, who defined the "Laws of Nature" or Natural Law as "true law." Cicero stated when discussing one of the tenants of the Laws of Nature, that "there is one master and ruler, that is God, over us all, for he is the author of this law, its promulgator, and its enforcing judge."
In other words, God is ruler of all and grants us our rights, NOT a King or Government and since the King of England didn't see things the same way, our Founding Fathers decided to take matters into their own hands. They stated in as clear and strong terms as they could what they believed - "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"
Our founding fathers were such men of honor that it wasn't enough for them to declare that they were separating from England, but they wanted to explain why, so they went on to declare "the causes which impel them to the Separation." See if you can relate to any of these offenses:
"He (the King George of England) has erected a Multitude of new Offices, and sent hither Swarms of Officers to harass our People, and eat out their Substances." The King hired non-elected officials, meaning they weren't accountable to the public to enforce trade and tax laws.
"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." Like establishing Czar positions and even more bureaucratic entities that aren't specified in the Constitution.
"For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:" What would they think of the new Healthcare Tax, which Congress passed recently that REQUIRES you to buy a product (health insurance) to be a resident of the United States of America?
There are lots of others, but I want you to read some of them for yourself. One blog article isn't near enough to explain the the beauty and importance of The Declaration, but I hope that it at least has inspired or intrigued you enough to look at the source document itself.
Our Founding Fathers were brave men of honor who knew two basic fundamentals of life:
1. God is large and in charge!
2. "We" can get through anything together by relying on each other and Him.
I will leave you with the closing of The Declaration which states: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."
That's nice...MH
