Remembering American Exceptionalism on Independence Day Today is a special and wonderful day in American history. A day that we declared our independence from tyranny which gave birth to a nation founded on the idea of freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for those who sought to find it. For it was 238 years ago today that 56 men pledged “their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor” for the freedom of a new nation, signing a document that might have been their death sentence, (and actually was for some).... the Declaration of Independence. Their act of courage, like that of the patriots at Concord a year earlier, reverberated around the world. Their words did, too, stating the cause of the Revolution (and of many revolutions to follow) with a clarity that no one has ever matched. We hold these truths to be self-evident,” they wrote: “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.” With these words on that hot summer day in Philadelphia, the Founding Fathers changed the course of human history. The United States became the first country on earth to be established on fundamental principles of freedom. And for more than two centuries, our nation has continued to be defined by these big ideas. They are the basis of our system of government, the subject of our political debates, and at the heart of what makes America exceptional. Most Americans still understand these timeless ideals. A Gallup survey in 2010 asked respondents, “Because of the United States’ history and its Constitution, do you think the U.S. has a unique character that makes it the greatest country in the world?” 80 percent of all Americans affirmed their belief in America as an exceptional nation, including 91 percent of Republicans, 77 percent of Independents, and 73 percent of Democrats. Unfortunately, we are failing to pass on our appreciation for America to the next generation of Americans. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that only 34 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 34 say they believe America is the greatest country in the world. The problem begins in our schools. Our students are failing to learn American history–and without understanding our country’s past, they can’t possibly understand what makes America an exceptional nation. For two generations now, weve allowed our children to be taught revisionist or politically correct history–like the strange idea that our Founding Fathers risked their lives out of greed or self-interest. As a result of this failure to teach the truth about our history, we are beginning to see our nation’s memory of the past slip away–especially the values and principles for which our founders actually fought for. I can name only one purely political revolution in the history of the world that had the right idea – the American War of Independence. It was truly based on the idea of empowering the people and limiting the scope and size of government. But slowly over time, we let that idea and what it stands for, slip away. Many have lost touch with the idea of Independence and self reliance. Weve both voluntarily and involuntarily surrender many of our liberties through way too many regulations, laws and taxes and weve forgotten how to fight back and be self reliant. Weve empowered government in ways that would have been almost unimaginable to the framers and founders of this country back in the 18th century. Weve gone backwards. Weve let the slavemasters and the elite take over and control our very being. And weve invited them to do it. That’s where we are today. And those of us who still believe in those principles of self-government for which that War of Independence was fought at great peril and sacrifice, now find ourselves in the unenviable position of being called revolutionaries and extremist once again. I personally, wear that label like a badge of honor, for I know liberty is always worth fighting for, no matter what the cost. And I also know that we are in great company, because our forefathers gave everything, even their lives to give us this precious gift of freedom and liberty. So on this 238th anniversary of Independence Day, take a moment to appreciate the courage and sacrifice of those who signed the Declaration of Independence–the youngest just 26 years old. And then, take the opportunity to share with the young Americans in your life the meaning of that extraordinary document. And also take your kids, you parents and anyone else you can find, to the movie America! youtu.be/vyD13lvE_U0 Happy Independence Day America
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 12:32:35 +0000
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