The Declaration of Independence, 2007
Many times I think of just how fortunate I am to have been born in the United States. What a blessing!
There are so many places on this earth where mere existence is a daily struggle. Adversity and privation are the rule rather than the exception.
Our destiny was largely shaped by the remarkable men who founded this country. Calvin Coolidge observed that the Declaration of Independence unleashed not only a revolution against Britain, but also a revolution in human affairs. Even today, a belief in government by consent isn’t universally accepted.
The Founding Fathers weren’t, as they’re occasionally portrayed, radicals. If anything, they were reluctant revolutionaries, slow to terminate America’s relationship with England.
Democracy wasn’t what they sought. They were too familiar with democracy’s failings. As John Adams wrote: “The people, when they have been unchecked, have been as unjust, tyrannical, brutal, barbarous, and cruel as any king or senate possessed of uncontrollable power. The majority has eternally, and without exception, usurped over the rights of the minority.”
In 1776, the Continental Congress called on Mr. Adams and Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston to draft a declaration of independence. If the declaration were to be crafted today, how different the results would be. I can see it now. . .
Several current leaders are reviewing a draft of the declaration. Barack Obama stands and is recognized:
“How did these repeated references to God get in here? I see ‘the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God;’ ‘they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights;’ ‘appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions;’ and ‘a firm reliance on the Protection of divine Providence.’
“It looks to me like the declaration’s being hijacked by the Religious Right, which wants to mix religion with politics. I gave a speech warning about this nefarious scheme only yesterday at a black church where they held a campaign rally for me.”
“An excellent point, Barack,” comments John Edwards. “I was talking about this to the guys at the beauty parlor just this morning,” he went on, making a mental note that it had been three weeks since he last campaigned at a black church and he’d better line up more.
Hillary Clinton speaks next. “I strongly object to this reference about the king dissolving representative houses because they’ve resisted ‘with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.’ What’s this manly firmness nonsense? Ya know, that’s just plain sexist. Some of the manliest people I know, ya know, are women working to get me elected. Isn’t that right, Bill?”
Mr. Clinton responds with a weary nod. Until recently, he’d never lost an arm wrestling match. At least not to a woman.
Then George W. Bush talks. He joins in denouncing the king for “obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners.” Mr. Bush says the king, whom he admires greatly, is very wrong in not legalizing illegal immigrants. “And I say this as one who owns every album Elvis ever made,” he concludes.
Mitt Romney states the part about “the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions” is OK with him as he’s not counting on the Native American vote to push him over the top. But he wants assurances that “tar baby” won’t be added to the document.
“I don’t like this section claiming the king imposes taxes on us without our permission. Flat out, man, it makes him sound too much like a Democrat,” declares Joe Biden. “Or, as I once wrote, ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom. . . ’”
“There you go again, Joe,” interjects Bill Richardson. “Next thing you know, you’ll be bragging you were drafted by the Kansas City Athletics. And you know darn well that’s my lie.”
And so it goes. Dick Cheney’s prepared his own draft, but won’t let anyone to see it. He claims executive privilege. And legislative privilege, too.
Rudy Giuliani wants the right to choose abortion addressed in the document. Dennis Kucinich doesn’t want anything but a declaration of dependence, pledging Americans will do whatever they’re told to by anyone in the world through his proposed Department of Peace.
Seeing the personalities littering the political landscape today makes it even more obvious how lucky we were to have men of the stature and genius of the Founding Fathers. We thank a benevolent God that they set us on the right course. And ask His continued blessings on this Republic.
Happy Independence Day.
This Michael Bates column appeared in the June 28, 2007 Reporter Newspapers.
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tonysprout said,
June 27, 2007 at 7:56 am
Mike Bates said,
As he was much of the time. I’m glad to see him finally getting his propers.
June 27, 2007 at 8:26 am
S Baker said,
June 27, 2007 at 9:03 am
Mike Bates said,
June 27, 2007 at 9:09 am
Joyanna Adams said,
David McCullough mentioned trying to get something going…but I haven’t heard much about it.
The founder that wrote the first Constitution on which the original was based, that helped with his cousin Sam to start the Revolution and mobilize the nation, the man who picked George Washington to lead the army, the man who started the navy, the man who was on more committees than any man, the man who on principle NEVER had slaves, a man who scarifice years of his own family life to serve as ambassador to England, to France, a man who saved the country from the benevolent “takeover” of France, who singlehandedly got the loans from the Dutch to finish and win the war of independence, not to mention the little important things like making sure we got our New England fishing rights from the British.
The honest man, who Jefferson paid to have slandered in the papers because he wanted power.
And who later forgave the very man who did it to him.
John Adams was more than any other founder, the real American. He did get much credit (Until McCullough’s book) on what he did..
It was the tall and handsome George, the astute Jefferson…the landowners…
But without his relentless efforts to start the nation of America, without his speech in the hot July afternnoon to get the various fractions of very scared men to come together and risk their lives to sign the Declaration…
A man who had no slaves on PRINCIPLE…but, in history was not praised too much for that fact because it might make Washington and Jefferson look like bigots.
Who knows…not to say that other founders weren’t brillant, they were. But honest, stubborn, puggy John Adams, the work horse…did not get the credit he deserved.
And right now, the American people, who work tirelessly every day, pay thier taxes, try to live honest and decent lives, are being dismissed as much as John Adams was in his time by his peers.
And yet…we all owe an awful lot to the silent stubborn man from Braintree.
They also said that when he died, a rainbow was formed over the house. The fact that they did die on July the Fourth, was certainly God’s sign of the greatness of the ideal, and the men.
Not all things can be proven by the scientific method. Sometimes, there just has to be a “leap of faith.”
And that’s what they did, our founders…they took a big leap of faith…and it worked.
So the man that fights today to keep our country and it’s founders ideals, will in the future maybe not be remembered…with any monuments.
But the people will know….and someone will say….if not for THOSE men, we would have lost it all to globalization…
June 27, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Mike Bates said,
I believe we may have to be satisfied with David McCullough’s biography as the closest thing to the great man’s monument. At least it brought to public attention a Founder who’s been overlooked for many years.
June 27, 2007 at 1:08 pm
S Baker said,
“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.” Thomas Jeffeson
“I have sworn on the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” Thomas Jefferson
June 27, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Mike Bates said,
“A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government. . . “
June 27, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Artfldgr said,
the analogies are monumental…
June 27, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Scott Strohm said,
Funny dialog. Thanks.
June 27, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Mike Bates said,
Funny dialog. Thanks.
Oh, no. Thank YOU and everyone who took the time to read this. Hope you have a great 4th.
June 28, 2007 at 6:33 am
Mike Bates said,
Governments, can’t live with them, can’t live without them…
the analogies are monumental…
Some are a lot easier to live with than others. Fortunately.
June 28, 2007 at 6:34 am
VeronicasLore.com » The Declaration of Independence, 2007 said,
June 29, 2007 at 12:12 pm