Your Independence Day

Born in Revolution

The US was founded as a revolt by a confederation of British colonies against Great Britain. These colonies became the United States of America. Spurred by a small revolutionary cadre, the people of the colonies were led to independence from their mother country. We were stirred by the tracts of Tom Paine, the speeches of Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams, and the rhetoric of Thomas Jefferson.

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.–

Tawdry Demagogues

I have little doubt that in today’s world many of these men would be monitored by the FBI. Many of our leaders, of both the Democratic and Republican parties, of both religious and atheistic backgrounds, would have been Tories in the days of the birth of our nation. Their last revolution occurred when they were weaned from their mothers’ breasts, and their last free act was to take up the cant of the nearest shepherd they could find. They confuse freedom with license, or see power not in self-governance, but in the ability to deprive others of the choice of what to do with their lives.

The Deacon’s Democrat

There is a story about Henry Thoreau. Thoreau abhorred slavery. In protest, he didn’t pay his taxes. He was jailed. While there, Ralph Emerson came to visit. He asked Thoreau Henry, what are you doing in there? Thoreau replied, Waldo, the question is what are you doing out there?

Your Independence Day

Now, I’ve never been jailed for my beliefs. I don’t believe the important thing in this story is that Thoreau was jailed. The important thing is that his acts were consonant with his beliefs. He had achieved his own Independence Day.

I would that I were as of one mind as Thoreau.

Are you? Do you have the strength to revolt against your weaknesses?

Do you have the strength to achieve your personal independence?

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