Declaration of Independence

In this patriotic season, Memorial Day-Flag Day-the Fourth of July, the hearts and minds of the residents of the Quincy Valley reflect upon the sacrifices made for the cause of liberty. But, I wonder, do we pause to remember the “deeper magic from before the Dawn of Time” [C.S. Lewis, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”], the magic of liberty that stirs our souls to make such sacrifices, that inspired the Founding Fathers to forge the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution? These principles are forever engraved in the hearts of all peoples-past, present, and future, all those who have been so blessed to know them.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident (even a little child will know when these are violated), that all Men are created equal (this includes you, male and female, rich and poor, without regard for creed, nationality, race, or ethnicity); that they are endowed by their Creator (by who? God, Nature, Allah, whatever you conceive that higher power to be) with certain unalienable rights (rights that neither individuals nor governments can deprive you of because these rights exist independent of anyone or anything); that among these are: life (the ability to move, to think, to grow, to learn), liberty (the power to act as one sees fit, without any restraint or control except by the laws of nature and the natural consequences of violating the liberty of others, whether they be good or whether they be bad, whether right or wrong), and the pursuit of happiness (the agreeable sensations which spring from the enjoyment of good, not evil).”
It seems to me that we have forgotten the simplicity of the way in the complexity of our modern government. We must begin to remember what we have forgotten, that government exists to PROTECT life, liberty, and property, not to deprive us of these rights, but to protect one individual or group from intrusion by another individual or group in these three areas only. We must use this knowledge to restore our government to its proper place in our lives. In this upcoming election year, exercise your patriotism all year as you ponder the issues and candidates that will be placed before you. Does a particular piece of legislation or candidate advocate the protection of life, liberty, or property, or does it advocate something that would interfere with it? Does a legislation or candidate seek to take something from one individual or group to give it to another? If so, it violates principles of true liberty and the reason for which governments are established, and each individual voter must decide for himself what secures liberty or what destroys liberty.
As Sherlock Holmes would say, “the game is afoot”, but the stakes are high and our very lives may depend upon it, in this age of globalization, terrorism, and climate changes. Let not our faithful dead have died in vain, rather let them live in our memories as we breathe the rarefied air we call liberty.

(originally published in the Quincy Valley Post-Register: 21 June 2007)