“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable 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.”
Today brings the annual celebration commemorating the birth of our great Nation. The above words, by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, could be called, in today’s lexicon, America’s “mission statement.” The main purpose of our government is to DEFEND rights that we all possess at that instant of our creation. Government cannot grant to us rights that we already have. This was declared to the world on July 4th, 1776. Life, liberty, happiness- all will be defended by the very people who possess it, as they see fit.
July 4th, 1776- a bad day for kings, dictators, and despots, but a great day for the rest of mankind. From that date forward, the human race became free of the bonds of servitude. People no longer existed to provide for the pleasure and desires of their rulers. Governments would only be legitimate when they exist for the sake of their citizenry.
Like mission statements in many organizations, the “mission” is, in fact, the GOAL. It does not claim to have necessarily achieved the final objective with no further action needed- but is always a work in progress. The effort required to attain success never stops. It is up to all of us, as freely thinking, sovereign individuals to never lose sight of the mission- We must never allow the government, and the persons who make up that entity on our behalf, to forget what is its proper role and duty. Woe to those who disregard self-evident truths- history is littered with the corpses of those who did.
I have always believed that the pursuit of happiness has been best embodied here in America by the notion that one gets to keep a lion’s share of the fruits of one’s labor. No right-thinking citizen would maintain, however, that pitching in and helping is something left to others. Certain functions and tasks are necessary to the defense and maintenance of “unalienable rights.” Reasonable expenses will and should be incurred as part of the conduct of a self- governing society. A framework for a civil, compassionate society is beneficial to all of its inhabitants. To pay for such services, no one would disagree that some levels of payment, or taxation, is necessary.
The debate begins when there is disagreement over what is necessary for THE PEOPLE to pursue life liberty and happiness and what is desired for the sake of GOVERNMENT and ITS happiness. This, of course, is the exact same problem that caused the revolt against the king of England (the government) in the first place. History shows that there is no end to the sort of people who, for their own ambitious benefit, will attempt to use government and its potential powers to the detriment of its people. This is why the work of the American “mission statement” never ends.
What happens if there is disagreement on what defines the “common good?” If we are not careful, and choose to forget the self-evident truths as recognized by our founders in July of 1776, the answer to that question could be what history tells us ALWAYS happens to those who disagree with a despotic government: a trip to the gulag.
Take some time today to ponder freedom. Remember America’s mission statement. Keep in mind that, at times, it must be defended with our very lives. Given the present situation, and the threat to our great heritage posed internally by today’s big-government liberal Democrats and “Republicans” and externally by radical Islamic fascism, it is a good time to reflect on the words of Abraham Lincoln: “It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us… that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”
