...and fighting to keep it!
On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to declare America’s independence from Great Britain. After much debate and editing of the first draft of the document written by Thomas Jefferson, two days later (July 4th) Congress approved the words of the Declaration of Independence.
One paragraph written by Jefferson was not touched, the one that stated that all men are created equal--that God gave them the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The original author called them inalienable rights—rights that are not capable of being taken away. These freedoms of free speech, religion, and the right to bear arms if we wish have served as the foundation for our American republic.
For more than 200 years, this imperfect nation has struggled to keep up with these ideals. We fought a Civil War to guarantee the freedom of all citizens, regardless of race. Led by valiant women, we also battled to guarantee the right to vote for both genders.
The effort is never ending. The Declaration of Independence didn’t mean then—and it doesn’t mean now—that someone won’t come to take those inalienable rights away. Freedom has never come cheap; it’s come with a price tag. So, it seems we must fight for our freedom every day.
As American citizens, we may hold dear our unique individual histories, customs, and cultural backgrounds. Some of us may scarcely think of our Day of Independence while we’re grilling our hamburgers, ribs, or fajitas. Whatever your circumstances or political beliefs, let’s commemorate not only our liberties, but also our common American heritage.
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