The 4th of July has always been recognized as “Independence Day” in the United States of America. It is by far the most important day for us Americans. We have long celebrated this day and as the years passed, the day seemed to lose importance to many of us. We thought of it as just another holiday that we could picnic and spend time with our family and friends. This year, our great country is hurting and many changes are being made. Some good and some bad. Many citizens are becoming disillusioned and some have lost faith in our beloved country.
I believe that this year is the best time for us to reread the Declaration of Independence in its entirely as it was written and signed by those brave Americans that put their lives and the lives of their family on the line.
Most of us have never read the entire transcript of the Declaration of Independence. We have only read a small part of it. Please take time to read the exact copy printed below and learn just why these brave men risked everything by signing it.
My wish is that there were some Americans with the courage of these great men living today. If there are such men, have them step forward. We need them now as we have never needed them before.
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
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 to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
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 migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.
He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.
He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.
He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:
For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing taxes on us without our consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:
For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:
For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:
For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:
For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.
We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. 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.
New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton
Source: The Pennsylvania Packet, July 8, 1776
Today is D-day. It is an important day in history. It is a day from which we can learn many lessons.
In 1944, the United States and its allies stormed to the beaches at Normandy to start a military drive that would end World War 2. For the first time in history many nations joined together for a common task. For 65 weeks secret plans were made by the allied leaders to make the battle a success.
In that battle alone, there were over 10,000 allied (6600 Americans) casualties of whom 2500 died (1465 Americans). Over 4000 Germans were killed. That battle marked the start of the end of WW2.
By the time WW2 was over, over 60 million military and civilians died as a result of the war. Many historians believe that most of them could have been saved if the allied forces had acted much sooner against Germany and Japan.
Many believe that is a problem today. Countries are just watching power hungry leaders build momentum toward a devastating war and it will cost millions of lives if not stopped soon. (Yes, Virginia, there are truly evil people in this world.)
War is a terrible thing and very few people want it, however, war cannot be fought and won following the Marquess of Queensberry rules. It is a fight for survival. It must be decisive. There has to be a commitment to totally defeat the enemy. The leaders of the losing country must pay the supreme sacrifice. In my opinion, to do less would merely postpone the inevitable and make matters much worse over time.
If full efforts were put into the US war with Korea, there would be no problem with danger of a nuclear war today. Korea would have spent the years of building itself up and a more stable country would be there today. The same holds true for the Vietnam War. By holding back and trying to save casualties, we have developed situations where many have spent years suffering and a more devastating war will develop.
If the US had ignored the UN and finished the Iraq Gulf war instead of stopping short, there would be no second Iraqi war that is still going on. Iran would have learned that it would be useless to try to invade a weakened Iraq.
When a country fights a war and doesn’t completely lose and their leaders are not punished, they have learned no lessons and will try again. Sometimes suffering must be done now to avoid much greater suffering later.
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
Thomas Jefferson
According to the Constitution of the United States and its laws, all of its citizens are created equal and should not be discriminated against for race or religion. I believe the vast majority of America citizens believe this. Most of us have no problem with those laws. However, it seems that our government does. Every government document asks and keeps records on each applicant’s race. Why is that? According to our constitution it makes no difference what your race is. You will be treated equally. Why then must they know?
Their answer is so they can apply money and benefits to the needed people. Is this decided on race and if so, why is it? Aren’t all races treated the same by our government? Is there an unknown law that allows separating citizens according to race? If so, isn’t that racism itself? Could it be that if the government stopped promoting counting people by race that maybe the race differences would just gradually disappear. It seems to me that to keep records of the different races will only perpetuate the differences.
There are people in this country, as in all countries, that are extremely prejudice. Although these people are usually very vocal, they are definitely in small number. They compose the very end of the right and left spectrum. The vast majority of US citizens does not have extreme prejudices and are tolerant of others.
Today we have politicians fighting over which side is acting more racist. It is to their advantage to keep the voters divided on this non-issue. Until, the politicians stop promoting racism and passing laws that favor one race over the other, we will never have racial harmony.
This country was formed as a bonding of different states. The states joined the United States government for only one reason. That was protection from the invasion of foreign countries. The federal government was not supposed to interfere in any state’s business. The nation was set up that way because the United States is a very large territory. What is good and works well for some areas is not good and won’t work for other areas. Industrial states are ignorant as to what is good for agricultural states and vice versa. Each state could choose how much it taxed and what the tax money was spent on.
Disagreement between the states caused a civil war and the Union states won. Some changes were made to the US constitution but very few. Slavery was abolished. Other that a few other minor changes the Constitution remained the same. The Federal government still did not have control over the states. This idea has worked beautifully for over 200 years.
Because it was a good financial decision, the federal government started taxing the states and then sending back some of the money for the states to use as the Federal government saw fit. This has blurred the lines of States rights. In violation of the US Constitution states gradually gave up some of their power to the Federal government. Now one government controls the money and the States have to fight over money to do what is important for their own State. What is important to one State is not important to another State.
Today, there are States that are trying to control the flood of Illegal aliens pouring into their territories by passing their own laws. These laws are not in conflict with the Federal laws but mimic the Federal laws and allow the States to enforce them. This is exactly why this country is not one State but is fifty United States.
People and Politicians living in other distant States than those with the problem cannot solve the problem by using the same formula that works in their own State.
In order to keep the voters upset and confused, the politicians are not arguing whether not over stopping people from coming in to this country Illegally is wrong, but are arguing whether it is racism to arrest people who are breaking the law.
That, my friends, is why our society is not making any advancements.
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
Thomas Jefferson
One of the great things about our country is the fact that it has always ran smooth even if we don’t pay ant attention to it. Less than a third of us pay any attention to the people that run our country. Usually only about a forth of us vote. The rest of just don’t want to be bothered by all of the political stuff. Oh, we complain, of course, but never bother to do any more but complain.
Now, however, our country has gotten into what is usually called “one hell of a mess.” Billions of dollars of your money has been given to banks, and yet more of them are closed every day. More billions of dollars of your money (and you children’s) have been spent foolishly with very little results on stopping the unemployment of millions of our countrymen. Billions of your dollars have been given to poorly run super businesses and yet they continue to go bankrupt. One has a very difficult time finding any benefit of the trillion dollars of your money that has been given away. Yet, it continues even today.
There was a time not long ago where the common American would not stand still for this to go on. There would be such an outrage that even the most corrupt politician would take notice. That is not happening now. The few that are protesting the way our money is being stolen and wasted are more or less ridiculed by the very ones that complain about it.
Are there any of us left that are willing to stand up and shout loudly at the politicians that are running our country. Why are we putting up with high officials that don’t pay their taxes while the waste ours? Why are we silent when we see our children’s money being thrown away?
Forget Healthcare. It doesn’t matter what Healthcare package is passed. If our country isn’t put back into a solvent position, no new government program will succeed, and the ones we have will continue to fail. It doesn’t matter who or what caused this mess. Forget party loyalty. Forget Republicans or Democrats. What matters now is how are we going to get out of it. Everyone knows that you cannot avoid bankruptcy by borrowing and spending more money. Yet, we let them do it.
I hear people say it doesn’t do any good to write their congressmen or senators, but they have never written a letter to their congressmen so how do they know? The only thing that our royalty (politicians) fear is losing their luxurious living. We can take that away from them, and they know that if enough of us are standing up, they will lose.
If you don’t do anything else, let you congressmen know how you feel about this mess that they have gotten us into, and let them know again and again.
The dictionary shows the definition of "traditions" as this:
tra·di·tion (tr...-d¹sh"...n) n. 1. The passing down of elements of a culture from generation to generation, especially by oral communication. 2.a. A mode of thought custom or usage. or behavior followed by a people continuously from generation to generation;
The meaning is quite clear. If we do not have traditions, we will not pass out culture or behavior to our children. It is that simple. Many traditions have been followed in this country of ours since the beginning. Tradition taught us to look at history and understand why our country was the best and freest in the world. As long as we continued these traditions, we would remain free and strong.
As out population spread and families were broken up, traditions were not followed and they were slowly forgotten. Even out most sacred holidays are not celebrated as they once were. Without these traditions, our country has lost its compass. It is traveling in no clear direction. It is like a ship without a port, wandering aimlessly just hoping to find something. What the country seeks is what we once had. Picking up the old tried true traditions will point us once again in the right direction.
Traditions all began with family traditions. Human behavior was designed by the acceptance of family traditions. It was a chance for all us to learn from one another. Alas, family traditions are fast becoming a thing of the pass. Many traditions are no longer even in existence. The importance of the family has fallen causing individuals to wander just as those ships at sea.
That is one thing that makes me proud of my family. We have not only kept our traditions, but we have added some new ones the last generation. It was always traditional for us to be with our immediate family on Christmas. Now we not only do that, but we have added the tradition of the gathering of all our relatives at one place during the Christmas holidays. I have friends that have commented on what a wonderful tradition it is and wish their family would all get together sometime. Our family gathers twice a year. Almost everyone attends at least one of these gatherings.
The thing that makes me proudest of my family though, is a tradition we started just a few years ago. It is the Ladies Luncheon. What a great idea to let the women in our family have a time of their own. That is very rare in today’s world. It gives them a comradeship that is usually only formed by men. Men have always had such gatherings and meeting that strictly excluded women, and it has been accepted. They formed strong bonds and could always count on support from fellow buddies. Women had no such groups.
The Family Ladies luncheon makes up for that. This tradition allows our wives, daughters, sisters, aunts, nieces, and cousins to meet in an environment where they can just be themselves without fearing that a man will be upset at what they say or their behavior. They can talk “women speak” without fear of being ridiculed or teased. In short, they can be women and behave as such, just, as the men behave as men in their meetings.
I believe the strength of our country lies in the strength of our families. Without strong families, the country will cease to exist.
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