Opinion - Happy Birthday, America

Happy Birthday, America

That’s My Opinion

By Bob Robinson

“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.”

If we were to ask a cross-section of Americans where the words “in the course of human events” or “We hold these truths to be self-evident” come from, most probably wouldn’t have a clue.

Famous words, often repeated by politicians, talking heads and civic organizers, are often recognized with little knowledge of their origin or meaning. Who knows… some of our “great unwashed” might even attribute them to a favorite politician.

We are woefully ignorant of the danger that 60 men from 13 colonies put themselves and hundreds of thousands of others in when they signed the “Declaration of Independence,” penned by Thomas Jefferson.

I also believe we are woefully ignorant of the text of this famous document.

It was signed exactly 234 years ago this coming Sunday.

Those phrases signify a new concept in the history of the world, and the document almost didn’t get signed because the Southern and Northern states disagreed on the issue of slavery… the South eventually won, so the issue wouldn’t be resolved for another 75 years.

“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…”

This is the second time “God” or “Creator” has been mentioned by the authors of our destiny. I often wonder what our forefathers, and God Himself, think about what we have done to that observance in the last 100 years.

You may also note that we have the unalienable right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Some of my friends on the left believe that “happiness” is a right. It isn’t, but the freedom to pursue it is.

“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 to 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…”

Today, there is a significant minority (12 percent, according to Rasmussen) who see secession as a likely possibility within the next 25 years. That’s one-eighth of our population… and it is likely to grow as government continues to take more and more control over our daily lives with decreasing efficiency over its mandated responsibilities. However, there’s more…

“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.”

The founders were very specific… this union must be preserved. Hundreds of thousands lost their lives to form it, then over the concepts of slavery and States Rights. With the blood of Patriots, our nation was born. And at horrible cost, our nation was preserved.

Since then, millions more have served in times of war, many making the ultimate sacrifice, protecting freedom in all corners of the world.

We have our problems. What’s new? Fortunately, 60 wise individuals started a process that built the foundation for us to determine who our leaders are and what we want of them. If we don’t like what’s happening in our country, our responsibility is not to “react with anger” but rather to “act with purpose.” We do that twice a year with our votes.

How many of you have actually read the Declaration of Independence? Raise your hands. I thought so.

I’ve posted it on my blog. Please take a few minutes to read it… word for word.

Then scroll down a little further and check out a link I posted last week… Thank your military. It is by far one of the best tributes I’ve ever seen.

As you watch your fireworks, fire up your bar-b-ques, pop your beer and soda tabs and enjoy your time with friends, relatives and neighbors, remember who bought that freedom for you.

It wasn’t the politicians, actually not even the 60 brave men who signed this historic document.

It was (and is) the men and women in uniform who fought and died so that we could celebrate this day.

God Bless our nation and our military! Happy birthday, America!

That’s my opinion. What’s yours?

Bob Robinson is the retired editor of The Daily Advocate, Greenville, Ohio. If you wish to receive notification of his comments, opinions and reports when they are posted, send your email address to: opinionsbybob@gmail.com. Feel free to express your views.