When we celebrate the Fourth of July, we, as a nation are commemorating the date July 4, 1776. This is the date that the first 13 organized colony states declared their independence from their mother country, England.
Are we really celebrating colonization like that?
Knowing how much damage colonization has made, is that something worth celebrating? Sit with that question for a minute.
If your response was “Well, No. We are celebrating our independence and freedom from the tyranny of state.” Then I expect you went to American public schools.
So lets go over this Declaration of Independence, shall we? Lets just break it down so that everyone can understand.
“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.”
So if you are doing something so radical as to demand your inalienable rights as human beings, then you should provide an explanation if you expect to be taken seriously. I am following so far.
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,
So, while most people know that these so called men of liberty owned slaves and had little respect for women, we can all acknowledge that our modern interpretation has been to assumes the word 'man' to mean, an adult human being. Lets set that aside for just a moment and apply a modern interpretation.
Accepting that in the modern interpretation, we can read into this text and feel confident that 'unalienable rights' are rights that, provided if you can make it to adulthood, guarantees you just as much right as anyone else to be alive, and to thrive in manner that brings you joy. “To secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men” Here, we identify that the government's purpose is to enforce and uphold these unalienable rights for the people, and lastly we are reminded that the government derives its power by us, the common people, consenting to them representing us.
–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.
These colonizers, to whom the American doctrine clings so dearly, clearly states “That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of theses ends” they are clearly referring to the government conducting itself in a manner in which they are no longer protecting, but rather, destroying, these unalienable rights.
You may respond that we use our “Right to alter or to abolish it” when we vote on new laws, or when we vote in new representation. Clearly that isn't working. So when did we lose our right to institute a new Government? If we still have that right, show me how that is supposed to work? If the powers that be, in the modern government are not willing to admit they are corrupt and simply hand it back over to the people, then it requires more radical action. However, the peaceful forms for dissent applied thus far have shown no results. Clearly they do not have our Safety and Happiness in mind.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
These early colonizers acknowledged that creating a new government was not something that you do on a whim, especially when the previous governing body has been managing things for a long time. They acknowledge that people will put up and corroborating with abuse and corruption for a long time before it breaks them down, however human beings have a duty to themselves and each other to stand up against such perversions of humanity. For the sake of humanity, when when radical change is necessary to ensure that all peoples maintain the unalienable rights that we all deserve, we have a responsibility to stand up and take action.
You may respond that to “throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security” is accomplished by having regular elections, then perhaps you haven't been paying attention. Or you've been voting against your own self interest? I wonder, which is it?
–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
“Such as been the patient suffering of these colonies” So, in writing this document, they not only outline their unalienable rights, and their duty to defend them against a tyrannical government body; they also indicate that their current governing body has violated those rights and therefore, establish their right to separate and reform.
The Declaration penned by our fore-colonizers and signed on July 4, 1776, goes on to list all the accusations of abuse and corruption that the King of England has overseen in regards to the colonies and their inhabitants. While there are parallels I will not attempt to modernize these crimes of humanity. I do not believe it is necessary. Again, I wonder, have you been voting against your own self-interest? Are you comfortable with the state of our nation? Do you believe that with our current system of laws and practices, everyone in this country has equal opportunities to live a free and happy life?
Towards the end of the summary section of this antique Declaration, it is written,
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
I wonder, how many petitions have you signed? How many times have you donated to a PAC that swore they were going to be using your donation to save your rights? Still we continue to see these unalienable rights quickly degrading for woman, children, and people of color or indigenous descent.
So on the fourth of July, are you celebrating your freedom from a tyrannical government? If not, why?
Are we really celebrating colonization like that?
Knowing how much damage colonization has made, is that something worth celebrating? Sit with that question for a minute.
If your response was “Well, No. We are celebrating our independence and freedom from the tyranny of state.” Then I expect you went to American public schools.
So lets go over this Declaration of Independence, shall we? Lets just break it down so that everyone can understand.
“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.”
So if you are doing something so radical as to demand your inalienable rights as human beings, then you should provide an explanation if you expect to be taken seriously. I am following so far.
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,
So, while most people know that these so called men of liberty owned slaves and had little respect for women, we can all acknowledge that our modern interpretation has been to assumes the word 'man' to mean, an adult human being. Lets set that aside for just a moment and apply a modern interpretation.
Accepting that in the modern interpretation, we can read into this text and feel confident that 'unalienable rights' are rights that, provided if you can make it to adulthood, guarantees you just as much right as anyone else to be alive, and to thrive in manner that brings you joy. “To secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men” Here, we identify that the government's purpose is to enforce and uphold these unalienable rights for the people, and lastly we are reminded that the government derives its power by us, the common people, consenting to them representing us.
–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.
These colonizers, to whom the American doctrine clings so dearly, clearly states “That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of theses ends” they are clearly referring to the government conducting itself in a manner in which they are no longer protecting, but rather, destroying, these unalienable rights.
You may respond that we use our “Right to alter or to abolish it” when we vote on new laws, or when we vote in new representation. Clearly that isn't working. So when did we lose our right to institute a new Government? If we still have that right, show me how that is supposed to work? If the powers that be, in the modern government are not willing to admit they are corrupt and simply hand it back over to the people, then it requires more radical action. However, the peaceful forms for dissent applied thus far have shown no results. Clearly they do not have our Safety and Happiness in mind.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
These early colonizers acknowledged that creating a new government was not something that you do on a whim, especially when the previous governing body has been managing things for a long time. They acknowledge that people will put up and corroborating with abuse and corruption for a long time before it breaks them down, however human beings have a duty to themselves and each other to stand up against such perversions of humanity. For the sake of humanity, when when radical change is necessary to ensure that all peoples maintain the unalienable rights that we all deserve, we have a responsibility to stand up and take action.
You may respond that to “throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security” is accomplished by having regular elections, then perhaps you haven't been paying attention. Or you've been voting against your own self interest? I wonder, which is it?
–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
“Such as been the patient suffering of these colonies” So, in writing this document, they not only outline their unalienable rights, and their duty to defend them against a tyrannical government body; they also indicate that their current governing body has violated those rights and therefore, establish their right to separate and reform.
The Declaration penned by our fore-colonizers and signed on July 4, 1776, goes on to list all the accusations of abuse and corruption that the King of England has overseen in regards to the colonies and their inhabitants. While there are parallels I will not attempt to modernize these crimes of humanity. I do not believe it is necessary. Again, I wonder, have you been voting against your own self-interest? Are you comfortable with the state of our nation? Do you believe that with our current system of laws and practices, everyone in this country has equal opportunities to live a free and happy life?
Towards the end of the summary section of this antique Declaration, it is written,
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
I wonder, how many petitions have you signed? How many times have you donated to a PAC that swore they were going to be using your donation to save your rights? Still we continue to see these unalienable rights quickly degrading for woman, children, and people of color or indigenous descent.
So on the fourth of July, are you celebrating your freedom from a tyrannical government? If not, why?