DoI, part 2

Patriotic Patty say, "I've read the Declaration of Independence. Have you?"








This is not a blog about politics. It is not my desire to promote my beliefs upon anyone else. In this post, my only desire is to point out parts of this beautiful document that I think are the most profound and relevant for me.

1. "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."
The DoI holds us, as citizens, responsible to revolt against government that is destructive and unjust. It is our responsibilty and our right to alter or abolish and create a new government if the old one is no longer working. I suppose the people that use the phrase, "Love it or Leave it," have never read the DoI. And people saying it is unpatriotic to stand up against injustice, Maybe they skipped this part as well. Or maybe their small brains could not comprehend the big words.

2. "Evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."
See #1. We hold the power to abolish the old system and make changes as necessary.

3. "It is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
Our right. Our duty. These are powerful words, chosen, no doubt, to emphasize the importance of this statement and our responsibility to safeguard our right to life, liberty and our pursuit of happiness.

4. "He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people."
Invasion of freedom of speech, easily seen in the Gulf with reporters and journalists banned from filming or taking pictures.

5. "He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither."
"Illegal" immigrants? In the same way the forepeople of our country had the right to emigrate to America, why do others not have this right now? Why is the process so arduous? Why are Tea Baggers so against people coming into our country, making it so hard for people to become part of "this great nation," and talking of abolishing the constitutional right for citizenship for all born in America?


6. "He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people."
Oil spill, anyone? Why has the government allowed BP to handle the cleanup? Why have we not stepped in and billed BP for the whole mess? Why has our government allowed corporations to buy their way or loophole their way out of environmental safeguards?

7. "He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation."
How many countries have we invaded, killing their citizens. Why are so many of our military actions are barbaric? Water boarding, etc?

8. "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor," and "That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights," as well as, "The separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them."
The argument that we are a christian nation infuriates me. There is nothing about America that is Christ-like. If Christ were here in America today, he would be a heretic. How entertaining it would be to watch some dumb conservative tell Jesus to "Love it or leave it."

This has turned out to be more aggressive than I had intended.

Regardless of my frustrations with America, I am blessed to not wake up to grenades outside of my window. I have never had to hide in fear. There are a myriad of things that I have not faced because of my privilege of being a white American. While some would say that I shouldn't bite the hand that feeds me, the writers of the DoI would hold me accountable for voicing my feelings regarding our government. I would like to think I am doing exactly what they intended me to do.