Yesterday all across America, we celebrated the action taken by 56 white men in Philadelphia in 1776.
How oppressive were the British toward the colonies? Were there summary executions for dissenters?
Were leaders disappearing at the hands of midnight death squads? Was the real issue for which men were willing to put their lives on the line merely being taxed without being represented? I could not get these questions out of my mind while I watched the wonderful fireworks in Narberth, PA, surrounded by families and fireflies. These are really worthwhile questions in a time when the U.S. has over 700 military bases around the world, in what appears to be excessive military overreach that looks altogether too much like the British Empire against which the Revolutionary War was fought.
On the other hand, for the magnificent principle of equality and justice articulated in the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. serves as a source of inspiration, a light of hope for those oppressed. Its words are deeply associated with the Statue of Liberty proclaiming our caring for the poor and downtrodden. Equality and compassion seem to stimulate respect.
The powerful words of the Declaration remain alive to the extent that we realize their depth. "We hold these truths to be self evident." Is that really so? It is not self evident to the eyes or intellect that "all men are created equal." Obviously some are smart and some less gifted, some tall and some short. And, when it was said, surely it was not an obvious "is" but merely a very idealistic "ought." There were great disparities of wealth and influence in the 18th century. Without property, particular skin color, or gender there was not even the pretext of equality. But from the eye of the heart that sees the dignity of the soul, "all are equal." The ideal was placed into history and continues to generate positive change.
This principle of the equality of the soul has become the gold standard of social justice from that moment onwards. It is not based on what is seen with the eyes, but what is understood by wisdom.
That is is why it is actually wisdom that was being celebrated yesterday.
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Even money would be better off if it were separated from politics, because money comes under control of monopolies and monopolies begin to control government. Capitalism only thrives in competition. Because of that, the colonists dumped the tea in the harbor.
Odd that today's "Tea Party" is working unwittingly FOR the monopolists and encouraging their plunder of the middle class (which is what most Tea Party animals are). We need a tea party more like the one in Boston, ready to throw off the tyranny of a corporatist state. That need not be a movement defined as "progressive." That is a populist movement motivated to create an actual representative republic where we have actual taxpayer representation: public-financed elections only.
We have to end legalized bribery not encourage it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar0_zA6xTco
James Madison
"History records that the money changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling money and it's issuance."
"When economic power became concentrated in a few hands, then political power flowed to those possessors and away from the citizens, ultimately resulting in an oligarchy or tyranny." John Adams
"As riches increase and accumulate in few hands . . . the tendency of things will be to depart from the republican standard." Alexander Hamilton
"I hope we shall . . . crush in [its] birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations." Thomas Jefferson
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen."
- Samuel Adams
You could have tried reading the next part of the phrase, which reads, "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..."
The CEO Oligarchs have enough combined wealth to eradicate our debt but refuse to be taxed a little more so that we can afford their wars, their lifestyle and keep Medicare.
The Jails are disproportionally full of Afro-Americans and Hispanic prisoners.
The Corporations are allowed now to buy elections without restraint.
No matter who we vote for in 2012 there will be wars of choice.
No matter who we vote for the rich will get richer while we get poorer.
No matter who we vote for our views will not be listened to after the election.
No matter who we vote for the President will prefer to spend money on missiles than medicare, let alone a space shuttle.
No matter who we vote for they will never ever seriously tax the Plutocracy.
No matter who we vote for in 2012 the president may have been born poor but they will have won the lottery by being president.
No matter who we vote for the bankers will dictate policy and cuts.
No matter who we vote for the people we increasingly be unable to afford shelter and food or shelter and medicine.
No matter who we vote for the greedy will win.
get to the polls, there's Bad or Worse, and vote
I am gald I read past this first paragraph. Overall the article had a positive message. However the first sentence had an almost dismisive tone to it. I wonder if the article was about the achievement of black men and the article began that way and stated "black men" would the reader have taken that one statment of context and denounced the rest of the article. I am just curious.
We want to change that here at GovTogether. Using social media and the internet in general, much like Iceland did recently in crowd sourcing their constitution, we want to give the American people their voice back.
Come and let us know what you think of our idea at www.GovTogether.com, it only takes a minute to have your voice heard!
Susie says to her husband, “But darling, all this equality talk from the masses, they don’t really believe they are our equal, do they? I mean they don’t have any money.”
“Oh honey, don’t fret. We let them believe that. It helps keep them peaceful. We feed them a diet of fiction, fireworks, hotdogs and football. Not to worry. They won’t get uppity.”
“Well that’s okay then.” Susie replied.
Throw in just about every self serving 4th of July speech, the indoctrination of the so called Pledge of Allegiance--as if we need on, the founders didn't--or any time they play the national anthem before and event of any kind, especially a ball game, and then add all the rah rah support the troops no matter what they're ordered to do mental lock step, and you have a 24/7 unrelenting bombardment of brainwashing.
Oh, and I especially enjoy the phrase, "American Exceptionalism." Just makes me all tingly inside...
The middle class is larger, in total numbers, than it was ten years ago (though so are the poor, huddled masses), and makes about the same wage adjusted for inflation.
The Bill of Rights, along with the rest of the Constitution, is the most emulated form of government in the world (with at least 53 nations using it as a template).
Of course "The Declaration of Independence means nothing if no one is going to enforce the law." The Declaration is not a legal document like the Constitution, it is a Declaration of Independence.
And what more just world or nation avoided all human trafficking?
Your bitterness may be justified, but stick to facts before you start slinging mud at our country and its founders.