True American Pride - Real Things to Celebrate About This Nation (#23)
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
"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..." (Declaration of Independence, July 4 1776).
For Entry #23 of my personal celebration of True Things in America to be Proud of, I can't help but turn to a more serious note. Our Declaration of Independence - written and signed by thoughtful, courageous, and principled men - is a document that changed the world. And its inspiring message still reverberates today. Each time I read the above words, something in me is stirred with the timeless truths they state. And I'm deeply grateful for the opportunities and the life I live as a result of this revolutionary statement made 248 years ago.
It is almost impossible today to fully realize the real dangers that the 56 men who signed this document faced as a consequence of their willingness to openly claim their right to freedom from oppression. The famed radio broadcaster Paul Harvey vividly described the consequences these true American leaders faced in a broadcast he did on July 4, 1974 titled, “Our Sacred Honor”. Here is an excerpt from it:
“Of the 56 signers of the Declaration, few were long to survive, 5 were captured by the British and tortured before they died, 12 had their homes–from Rhode Island to Charleston–sacked and looted, occupied by the enemy or burned. Two of them lost their sons in the Army; one had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 died in the War from its hardships or from its more merciful bullets.
“…They were not poor men, they were not wild-eyed pirates; these were men of means––they had learned that liberty is so much more important than security, that they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. And they fulfilled their pledge–they paid the price, and freedom was born.”
If you’d like to watch the entire talk that Paul Harvey gave, here’s a link to it:
Paul Harvey - "Our Sacred Honor"
I pray Americans will never take for granted the freedoms that were won from the courage and sacrifices of others who came before us. A closing thought from a favorite patriot of mine:
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." (Thomas Paine)
"Declaration of Independence", by John Trumbull 1818
God bless America. May we never take for granted what others before us were willing to sacrifice everything for - not just for themselves, but for countless others that they would never know.