Declaration of Independence. The public act by which the Second Continental Congress, on July 4, 1776, declared the Colonies to be free and independent of England. The document embodying it.
Declaration. Noun. The act of declaring. Announcement. A positive, explicit, or formal statement. Proclamation. Something that is announced, avowed, or proclaimed. A document embodying or displaying an announcement or proclamation.
Independence. Noun. The state or quality of being independent. Freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others. —Syn. See freedom.
Freedom. Noun. The state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint. Exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc. The power to determine action without restraint. Political or national independence. Personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery. —Syn. Freedom, independence, liberty refer to an absence of undue restrictions and an opportunity to exercise one’s rights and powers. Independence not only implies lack of restrictions but also the ability to stand alone, unsustained by anything else.
Independence Day. July 4, a U.S. holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Also called Fourth of July.
—“Declaration of Independence, Declaration, Independence, Freedom, Independence Day.” Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition. New York: Random House, 2001. Print edition.
“IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776…”
You’ve likely read the words from our Declaration of Independence before. If you haven’t, you should. If you have, read them again. While I with whole of heart encourage every American to be festive on this day, each in his and her own way, in our land of freedom, it is a must to remember the efforts and sacrifices of those who lived and died over two centuries ago so that we can have reason to celebrate. It is also imperative to do what we can to ensure that their efforts weren’t for naught.
We see many parallels with the past in the events of today, which makes the Declaration of Independence as relevant now as in any other time since Thomas Jefferson crafted its words and the representatives of the 13 colonies signed the document. Because this blog is dedicated to reconnecting readers with their freedoms, I have some thoughts on how the words on that document apply to present matters.
When a society becomes so at odds with itself that parties are no longer able to resolve their differences and one party can put up with the unnatural state of things no longer, it is only prudent and right to announce the reasons why that party feels as though it has been left with no other option than to break away from those whom it sees as the cause for the turmoil. It is the side that sees government as the solution to our problems rather than the root of our problems who make a mockery of this day.
The government exists at our behest. It exists to preserve the nation’s sovereignty, to protect its citizens, and to secure their freedoms. Yet when the government decides that national sovereignty and individual liberties aren’t of importance, when it lashes out at those it is supposed to protect, when it snatches away the rights with which we were born, a nation’s people are no longer free. The people will tolerate a government overstepping its privileged existence for only so long. It is when the government takes unjust advantage of its power and interferes in too many aspects of our lives that people are unarguably justified to resist. A citizenry is obligated to restore its rights in order for the nation to continue its existence as a place where the people can be happy and safe and free.
The list of grievances is long and gets longer every day. We are at another point in our nation’s history when we must rise up and declare our independence.
Our leader refuses to assent to law. He acts according to personal whim. He fights against the states over the rights that are granted by the Creator and reaffirmed by the Constitution. He preaches of transparency yet in private works in company with disreputable interests who wish to tear apart our countrymen instead of bringing them together. It is his aim to organize and mobilize, galvanizing many of our own representatives and neighbors to oppose and take action against those whose beliefs run contrary to his own.
Now that we have established thorough laws of immigration and naturalization, he rewards those who abuse those laws while ignoring the pleas of those who raise the alarm of such abuses, and he demeans those who make efforts to obey our rules.
He uses his Administration of Justice to punish those who would uphold the law, and he asserts his power over those who have broken no laws. Judges now bend to his will, upending more rights of the states and defying the liberties of men and women who wish to be left alone and build their lives in their own individual and unique fashions.
He imposes orders and taxes upon us without our consent. He has fundamentally altered our form of government. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us.
We have sought to redress these grievances, and we have been met only with repeated rebuke and abuse.
It is not just one person but many who have exploited this opportunity to destroy all that valiant men and women before us have done to make the United States of America the freest, most independent country in history. We have appealed and tried to reason with the destroyers, but they do not care to listen. They consider us their enemies. Therefore, we must consider a separation from those who have no interest in peace except if it were to come at the expense of the rights of others.
Little by little, our independence fades. We see it happening before our eyes. We experience it for ourselves. Yet we allow it with little protest. As a nation, we cannot endure this for much longer. While we still live, we can still push back.
Independence is not a simple thing to obtain. It will be harder for some to gain their independence compared to others. But one cannot become independent through dependence. Those who pursue happiness on their own should not have to assist those who would give nothing but bitterness and ingratitude in return.
Requiring citizens to give by edict rather than by appealing to moral obligation is theft. It is a violation of the liberties and freedoms of those who would never dream of doing the same to another. The people you take from would find great delight in seeing you find your own way in life, as long as you aren’t treading on their ways of life.
We have the right to pursue, not to have someone else do the pursuing on our behalf.
Our independence is always under threat. Be aware of when these threats arise, and don’t stand idle and mute. Think it through. Come up with a plan. Organize. Speak up. Fight. Opponents of freedom do this, so supporters of freedom must, as well. It’s the only way we will be able to get back the independence we have lost.
Eat…drink…be merry today. Attend the parades and revel in the festivals and the joy of being with those we hold dear. Watch the explosions in the evening sky which should remind us of the battles our ancestors waged to give us the freedoms we so often take for granted. Be proud of who we are, what we have, and what we’ve accomplished together. Show your appreciation to those who have made it their lot in life to protect us and our rights. Take a day off from the fear and anxiety of the uncertain future that is in store for us. Enjoy life. Celebrate independence.
But tomorrow, our fight must continue. Declare. Announce. Proclaim your independence every chance you get. View independence not just in the sense of exercising your rights, but in the sense that you can exist and thrive by your own means, that you don’t require the state to make you happy. That is true independence.
Thomas Paine once wrote, “Wherever I use the words freedoms or rights, I desire to be understood to mean a perfect equality of them. Let the rich man enjoy his riches, and the poor man comfort himself in his poverty. But the floor of freedom is as level as water. It can be no otherwise of itself and will be no otherwise till ruffled by a storm.”
Do not be discouraged, my fellow freedom aficionados. We can weather this storm and right this crooked, battered ship. It is not yet the time to abandon it. But we must do it together. Grab a bucket and start bailing the water. Raise the sails so that we can make our way back home.
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In lieu of a more traditional song to rouse not only pride but also a feeling of independence, I present the following–a more contemporary tune. I’ve posted it in other places before, but I feel it deserves to be posted here now. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do.
Rejoice in your independence today, America. But stand up for your independence always.
