As it turns out the pursuit of happiness can be quite tiring, and it is quite an artfully elusive prey, at least these days. But I shall not be deterred. In the days ahead I will continue the fight in honor of our forefathers. But for tonight I think I'll give it a rest.
This personal pursuit of happiness is important for my sanity and is fun, if not yet completely successful. But Independence Day is much bigger than my pursuit and the various methods I have enjoyed, many of which I am sure you enjoyed as well.
It disturbs me that we have diminished patriotism to waving the flag, identifying with certain ideologies, and saying the currently popular catch-phrases. Our forefathers argued and fought and compromised and agonized, at great personal risk, first to declare independence from the most powerful country on earth, and then to fashion a constitutional government unlike anything that had been seen in human history.
A way of life that we in the United States now take for granted were radical concepts when the Declaration and Constitution were written. Individuals had rights that were inalienable because we were born with them, and no government should have the authority to diminish those rights. Among these inalienable rights were life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution was a bit more specific. Individuals have the right to freely express themselves without fear of governmental retribution. Individuals could exercise their faith in any manner they choose, or not at all, and government could do nothing to promote a religion or restrict a religion, or make anyone be religious if they chose not to. Individuals have a right to privacy and to be secure from government intrusion. The government could not affect the rights of the citizen to property without due process.
There are more, to be sure. Here in 2011 we Americans look at this set of rights as the norm. We rarely think about them anymore. But in 1776 and 1784 our forefathers saw them as true, but also as a risky experiment in leaving a great deal of power with the people as opposed to the government.
"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of bondage and slavery? Forbid it almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death." Patrick Henry said that back in the days of the American Revolution.
But what of us? Do we still have the same passion? Are we more concerned with safety than with liberty?
Here's the dilemma. It is expressed powerfully in a familiar poem by Martin Niemoller.
"When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out."
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out."
The inalienable rights are not the exclusive property of the Democrats or the Republicans, the Anglo, African American, Hispanic or Asian, the Catholic, Protestant, Jew, Muslim or atheist, the capitalist, Marxist or socialist, the young or old, the gay or straight, the rich or poor, the intellectual or simple-minded.
The rights belong to humans. All humans. And if the rights of one human are threatened, the rights of all humanity are so threatened.
And the experiment fails.
Real patriots won't let that happen.
.
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