Remember: “We're All in This Together”

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

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 of 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.

Whenever I read that I always think, If Jefferson had been in my political philosophy class, I would have turned him in to the University's Honor Court for copying off Locke's paper. But that's beside the point.

The point is, on these national day's off, it's always nice to take a little time off from blowing shit up, slow-roasting pigs, and fighting relatives to read the founding documents of the country — yes, homework on your day off — the works documents that define us as a People and tell everyone else what being one of us means. Because, frankly, sometimes, it seems we forget.

Over the past few years, everyone has been trying to redefine us — Red State/Blue State, Conservative/Liberal, Goose-stepping Nazi/Goose-stepped on Pacifist — in divisive terms, With us-or-Ag'in Us terms, that hide the underlying truth of the above document: Governments come and go, but the People (Capital “P”) remain. The natural rights that we institute governments to protect, that bind us as a polity, survive and surmount all petty (and not so petty) political issues.

To paraphrase Voltaire, I might disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death my right to call you a brain-dead, un-wiped asshole over beers. Disagreement and debate, after all, are at the heart of a healthy republic. It's when people stop talking to each other, stop caring about what others have to say, stop listening to all the ideas in the market place that republics die. It's when party or ideology come before fellow citizens and the nation, when I can't say, "Fuck you," buy another round, and continue trying to convince you I'm right (and I am), that we get into trouble. Of course, I'm exaggerating — a little — but not about this: the truths we hold to be self-evident demand a democratic nation, and a democratic nation demands open — sometimes heated — debate to inform elected representatives of what they are suppose to do on the public's behalf.

Otherwise, we might as well have a king decide everything for us.

The long and short of it is, democracy ain't a government for pussies, people. Cowboy up.

Today is a good day to remember that.

Now, get back to the fireworks.

Happy Fourth!

P.S. It's your round, cheapskate.