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.
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, 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.
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.
Today is not just the anniversary of independance from all other countries, it is also the anniversary of the death of the author of this iconic document, 50 years later.
More from the author:
“It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no God; it neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.”
“I am for preserving to the states the powers not yielded by them to the union; and for preventing the further encroachment of the executive branch on the rightful powers of congress. I am for a government rigorously frugal and simple, and for retiring the national debt, eliminating the standing army, and relying on the militia to safeguard internal security... I am for free commerce with all nations, political connections with none…. I am for freedom of religion, and for freedom of the press. And against all violations to the constitution to silence our citizens."
“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them”
“When the people fear their government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.”
–Thomas Jefferson
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3 comments:
Hey, you better be carefull quoting that first part of your post,some body might label you treasonous!
“It does me no injury for my neighbor to say he shall have twenty wives, or no wife; it neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.”
Say cheese!
The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. During the war the thirteen states joined together under "Articles of Confederation" written in 1777 and ratified in 1781.
The US Constitution was ratified on September 17, 1787, four years after the war was over. Thus the United States of America was born in September, but the Confederacy was born on July 4th. Treason indeed!
“Here in America we are descendants in blood and in spirit from revolutionists and rebels, men and women who dare to dissent from accepted doctrine. As their descendants may we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion.” –Dwight D Eisenhower
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