In light of our recent Declarative Anniversary...

[jsbowden]

This post has sort of been percolating in my head for a while leading up to Independence Day, and I'm still not sure I know how to say what I want on the topic, but I guess I have to try, as I'm already late with it.

America is not a place. It's not a people. It's not a thing that can be pointed to or grasped in your hand. It never has been. America is an IDEA. The idea that all people are equal, deserve to be free, and that they are to be left alone to seek out health, wealth, happiness, whatever...so long as they doesn't impede the rights of others in doing so.

The implementation of this idea isn't perfect. It never has been, but that's no excuse for not trying to work towards the day when it's as close as we can achieve.

The enemies of America aren't terrorists, communists, fascists, capitalists, socialists, zealots, foreigners, or any other single group. The enemies of America are those who would chip away at the core idea, no matter what cause, no matter WHERE they come from. Whether you're some half educated third world jihadist who hates us for whatever reason, middle class right wing zealot screeching your bigotry and hate, art house left wing nanny stater thinking people are too stupid to be allowed outside without a leash, or an Ivy League educated legislator engaging in the politics of fear, when you take measures towards curtailing our liberties by enshrining your twisted view of how people should behave in matters that don't concern you, you're attacking that idea, and YOU are an enemy.

It's the idea that's important, and if we destroy the idea to save the nation, what was the point?

The men who signed that little bit of paper telling George III to go to hell put their fortunes, families, and futures, in short, everything they had and were, on the line in doing so. Despite our having won, many of them still died poor and broken men. They did it for an IDEA. The founding of our nation was merely an expression of that idea, and a way of keeping it safe and alive.

That idea still matters as much today as it ever did.

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html

Comments

[askesis.livejournal.com]

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.

That's some radical stuff, man - I'm a little shocked they leave that out where any child could see it.

[leighdb.livejournal.com]

First: Word.

Second: My parallel-ish thoughts on patriotism. The entry's four years old, but I find nothing I said there has altered much in my view.

[culfinriel.livejournal.com]

Really well put.

[jsbowden.livejournal.com]

Not only that, we encourage them to read it!

[jsbowden.livejournal.com]

The populace seems to finally realize they're being duped and starting to insist on perhaps not destroying America to save it, so there's some hope. I still don't get the UK reaction to the whole thing though...they lived through the IRA and its splinter groups terrorist activities and blew it off, but lately they've gone far beyond anything we've done to ourselves.

[jsbowden.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I still don't think I said what I actually wanted too. I have the words...I don't have the ability to put them together in the order I'd like, I think.

[leighdb.livejournal.com]

I am no expert on the subject, but my overwhelming impression is that Tony Blair was the one-man tickertape parade, there.