FOUR

This 232nd anniversary of the publication of our Declaration of Independence bears some reflection.

Having only recently attained adulthood, 1976 was a memorable celebration. The tall ships in New York harbor and the community parades and displays were joyous even in the midst of a fuel crunch and a nation reeling from disastrous retreat in Viet Nam.

No Fourth of July celebration has come close since but every Birthday of the Great Experiment is another miracle to celebrate what the inspired Founders wrought.

Personally I feel more awe than pride. What we have accomplished, our freedom and prosperity, our gifts and charity to a suffering world, the strengths that we have hewn to--all due to the clarity of thought rendered by the Fathers and held true by those that followed.

This Document is divided into three sections.
The general declaration

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.

There is more to this section but the focus of this post has to do with a few parts of the second section--the Grievances.

Tyranny is not solely in the hands of kings and dictators. Sometimes it may fall to an unexpected place.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

The good people of Louisiana had decided that a person guilty of the rape of a child deserves to no longer live. Justice Kennedy, siding with the predictable liberal justices, found that evolving standards of decency should prevent the execution of the death warrant.

The same justice held that foreign, non-state combatants captured on foreign soil and held abroad should enjoy habeas corpus rights in US courts. A finding that another justice declared would endanger American lives.

Tyranny may also emanate from special interest groups.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

Substitute he for they where they are the coalition of environmental groups and activist judges that have prevented us from exploiting the resources we need to maintain and grow.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

We find ourselves quite in the opposite predicament now. The relevant words here are " obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners".

Make no mistake that the unlimited immigration we've now been facing for many years is a tyranny, as well.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

Here I mean the growth of the federal government, the unknowable tax code, imposed social security--the veritable multitude of New Offices that eat out our substance.
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The final portion of the Declaration is meant to stand as the legal and formal statement of intent to nationhood.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Before we end up refreshing the Tree of Liberty with blood we need to read and understand this precious document and find the grievances that have crept back in our society.

And fix them.

Happy Independence Day

Four months to go.