The Freedom of the Individual

Today, Americans celebrate the birth of the greatest nation in the world. What constitutes this celebration? The answer and the foundation of this great country lies within only 111 words.

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.

Now take a moment to go back and read these 111 words out loud. No whispering, read them out loud.

Each one of us is created equally. Most people take this meaning in a physical sense but our Founding Fathers remind us that this is not so and tell us directly.  “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable Rights.”  Unalienable, that is, not to be separated, given away, or taken away. These Unalienable rights belong to the individual by his or her very nature.

And oh what glorious rights they are:

Life – a principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive quality of animate beings. No government or group grants you life.

Liberty – the quality or state of being free, freedom of choice. No government or group grants you liberty.

Pursuit of Happiness – to seek and obtain a state of well-being and contentment. No government or group seeks the pursuit of Happiness for an individual.

Just take a moment to sit within these unalienable rights. Rediscover them within your very soul and feel the goodness, the rightness, and the perfection.

Our Founding Fathers also made it very clear, in the creation of this great country what a governments role was in the lives of each individual:

“That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

In that one single sentence it is clear that the role of any Government is to secure our unalienable rights. The Government derives its powers from the citizens of America. Government does not give to us. We, the individuals, limit the powers of Government. We have slowly forgotten that and thus have abdicated our freedoms.

Do not despair Americans for the Founding Fathers remind us once again that is the individuals of this great country that hold the true power and instruct us accordingly:

“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.”

So on this great day of Independence – I encourage all to celebrate their unalienable rights of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Celebrate with family, friends, all Americans.

As for the remaining 364 days of the year, you as an American, have the duty and responsibility to the world  in demonstrating these 111 words through daily action.

Happy 4th of July to this great country we proudly call America and to the people who know or rediscover what it is to be an American – Freedom.

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2. It’s Time America
3. Health Care Is Your Unalienable Personal Duty
4. Hope is a Subtle Illusion
5. We The People