Two hundred thirty-six years ago, 56 men staked their lives on the idea that no government may lay claim to that which is granted by our Creator - that all men are born inherently free.
Our Declaration of Independence states that the purpose of government is to facilitate the people, equally born, in the pursuit of their individual and collective happiness. The Preamble to the Constitution further charges our government with the responsibility of protecting and promoting the lives of its citizens while securing the blessings of liberty - for Americans of that generation - as well as for the generations yet unborn.
In adopting our Constitution, many of the founders remained unsatisfied, for “power and liberty are often at odds” and the oppressive nature of government is to erode the rights of the people. Therefore, they created our great Bill of Rights to serve all citizens as a shield of perpetual protection against the weight of government and the potential tyranny of the majority.
It is this belief in personal sovereignty that makes Americans unique. What is an American? I answer that Americans are a diverse group of people drawn from all parts of the world. We have no official religion, no national party, not inherited titles. To know an American, one must know our Constitution, for therein lies the foundation of our government, our evolution as a people and the bedrock of what we have become today. This Fourth of July, fly the flag - but wave the Constitution!
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