Dependence Day

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”.

Pretty simple, and stunning its simplicity,  beauty, and truth. Read it to a villager in Niger or China or South America, and it has the same impact. The same basic yearnings unite all of us. And yet today in the country of its origin, we seem to have forgotten the opportunity given us by our forefathers. In the interest of comfort and safety the American people have slowly conceded many freedoms in increments and ceded critical thinking to others. In the interest of  power, some would limit these freedoms. In the interest of greed, others would coopt these freedoms. all of this from within, not without. These are issues we ourselves must discuss and debate, and yet there is little of the philosophical discussion of man’s place in the world and our duties and responsibilities, only rights we seem to invent as we go along.

The punk band The Clash wrote of a right not to be killed. Not a bad idea. But we don’t have the right to color television or a new car or to expropriate our neighbor’s stuff. We have freedoms and then some clearly outlined rights. Too often these days, everybody knows their rights, and these get kind of weird at times (ask any 12 year old) but not their responsibilities and duties. These go hand in hand.

We live in a world of dependence; on our parents when we’re young, on each other where we work and live; on the value of the money we earn; on our most basic services. But beyond this it’s all dependent on the choices we make, and we have to make these from knowledge, not ignorance. Responsibly, knowingly, and considering all of the options. It’s called free will. We were endowed with this gift by our Creator. It allows us to choose our path and build cathedrals or skyscrapers or write symphonies. It also allows us to hurt ourselves or enslave others. The Declaration outlines the grievances of the colonists against tyranny and liberates them. But it does not liberate them from responsibility. Rather, it very clearly calls on that responsibility to their Creator to act in a certain manner they felt was unassailable. With respect, with charity, with tolerance for one another within certain clearly outlined modes of conduct. This was dismissed by the adage “times change”. It is true, but they should change for the better and it is for us to do this using our better instincts.

Today we are risking what independence we have left. We are battered financially and our leaders don’t seem to have done a very good job in presenting us with viable alternatives to help us regain our standing. Greed rules, and “what’s in it for me” are the operative philosophies. Morality and gravitas are mocked openly, and pseudosciences are replacing the wonder of opportunity and invention and creativity. We are presented with a rapidly expanding picture of our universe, and we are watching “Dancing with the Stars” instead. Cults of celebrity and the absurd have more credence than the fundamental truths. Deconstructionism and revisionism in the face of the facts dominate intellectual discourse. The Id takes precedence.

The signposts are still there though. The Declaration can never be erased, but as Ronald Reagan said “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States when men were free”.

It all goes back to the basics in the end. The same philosophies that propelled Western Civilization are those that will propel us into a better future. This is not a time for sophistry or cant, but for common sense, hard work, and a rededication to the principles of our fathers. No one ever said it was going to be easy, but the beauty is that we have a road map in the Declaration and the Constitution and the founding principles.