In a divided America, reflect on the values in the Declaration
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 sentence is most often repeated and shared when July 4 rolls around. It is perhaps the most famous line from the Declaration of Independence — the line school children recite, the one printed on posters and shared in memes.
But the document, which has 1,336 words, according to the National Archives transcription, consists of plenty of other important words and phrases that remain relevant some 245 years after its signing.
The words tyranny and tyrant, for instance, each appear twice in the document.
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.
In other words, America will be governed by the people, not a tyrant, a despot, an autocrat or a dictator.
Merriam-Webster defines a tyrant as “an absolute ruler unrestrained by law or constitution” and as ”a ruler who exercises absolute power oppressively or brutally.”
It is that belief in the rule of law and in a humane, benevolent government that distinguishes American democracy from so many other governments, past and present, around the world.
Today, in 2021, as we cope with what often seem like insurmountable differences and divisions, let us reflect on the core meaning and values instilled in the Declaration of Independence.
Certainly, in 1776, women and people of color were not included in the process or the language that “all men are created equal.” However, we know that the founders had the foresight to understand times would change, the nation and its people would grow and evolve. That’s why, for instance, The Constitution can be amended.
The core meaning, however, of a belief in the rule of law and the need to rid the world of tyranny has not changed.
As you celebrate the Fourth of July, take a moment to read the document (here’s a convenient link), to understand its creation and to appreciate that 245 years later the work is not yet done.
Eleven years after the Declaration of Independence was signed, The Constitution was voted on, and its preamble is another of those most recited and well-known American phrases.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Note the phrase “more perfect.”
The Founding Fathers knew perfection would be hard to attain, but the goal was to improve, to become more perfect, to keep getting better.
Today, consider what comes next in this ongoing Great American experiment.
Facing our history is nothing to fear. Yes, slavery existed and yes, the effects of that brutal system are still being felt today. Don’t shy away from it. Learn from it. Build on it.
We are still in an age of firsts. The first Black president, the first Black and Asian American female Vice President.
Does it surprise you that your town has yet to have its first woman or Black or Latino or LGBT (fill in the blank)? Are you ready for a time when women or people of color in any role are the norm rather than the exception?
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in 1776 looked very different from what they can be in 2021.
Just imagine what the next 245 years can bring.
This story was originally published July 2, 2021 at 10:49 AM with the headline "In a divided America, reflect on the values in the Declaration."
