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…”
In a world dominated by tyrants, Kings and Clerics, Lords, Potentates and despots this idea was extraordinary.
Even in the direct democracy of ancient Greece and the semi-republic of Rome, such a statement would have meant treason against the ruling class.
Jefferson penned this portion under the influence of both Franklin and Washington based upon Washington’s belief, and Franklins desire to bow to the wisdom of the Judea Christian principle that mankind is divided into only two classes in the eyes of the Creator. Those whom bow to the Judea Christian God and those who do not, but all nations are referred to as men of a God given choice, no matter their circumstance.
This article may lack the excitement and my typical conservative zeal and humor. I promised to answer another authors hard questions, and I find I cannot. At best I can be honest, and give my point of view.
As the Liberal commentator in question stated, our founders were flawed men, whom existed in a desperate era. What was widely accepted then is abhorred now, but these founders penned a document that set this country on a road of good principles that has been copied or emulated throughout the world since. I truly believe their words and writings were inspired by God.
Our flawed founders created a system by which individual freedom was in principle called for and in practice achieved, be it over the course of time. “All men are created equal”, was not put there for political expediency or to calm a special interest, but because that was the consensus of the founders, if not in practice, at least in intention.
The original “Bill of Rights” was not an attempt to appease or include, they were the restrictions that kept government from ruling the people, and sought to insert measures so the Government was limited and could not rule over those they sought to serve.
Yes, we slowly but surely warred against the Native Americans and took the land. A time honored way to expand one country at that point in time. Yes, slavery took many years to outlaw and many more to give social status to the generations that followed. Yes, women were not allowed to vote for many generations, save for small areas here and there.
Yet the foundation was laid for the great and admirable changes that have grown out of the founding principles, even if practice lagged.
As early as 1786, Washington had determined that the only acceptable solution would be emancipation. “There is not a man living who wishes more sincerely than I do, to see a plan adopted for the abolition of slavery”. Yet he held is slaves until he died, even if they were well treated and instructions were left that they all be taught a trade and given ample provisions afterwards.
But remember how the world was. At that same time the Monarch courts in Spain enjoyed public debates on whether American Indians and blacks were human. Women were treated like cattle in most of the known world and the poor starved in the streets of the richest nations.
I submit and reluctantly acknowledge our founders lived in a time of great injustice, and failed to correct much in their lifetimes.
Slaves themselves to the era they lived in, trying to make a map for roads not yet built, themselves not so much builders as architects.
For the past 100 years, the rest of the world longed to come here and pursue the happiness our Founders started and even now so much of the world still practices slavery and Government over the people rather than by the people.
I am thankful to our Founders, and choose to understand the times in which they lived.
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Sorry, I posted that reply – forgot to leave my name.
This, however, has not changed. America was established as a Republic.
Republic, by definition, is “a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law.”
Webster, in 1828, defined Republic as “a state in which the exercise of the sovereign power is lodged in representatives elected by the people.”
Essentially the same definition with no tweaking in 182 yrs.
Languages do change. It is inevitable. While it was once incorrect to call the USA a “democracy,” it is now quite acceptable. Dictionaries have changed their definitions of “democracy” to accommodate this common modern usage of the word. 182 years ago the definition of “democracy” was:
“Government by the people; a form of government, in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of the people collectively, or in which the people exercise the powers of legislation. Such was the government of Athens.” – Webster’s 1828 dictionary.
That definition of “democracy” clearly excludes the USA’s form of government. But languages do change over time and the word “democracy” is a great example. Today dictionaries have tailored the definition of democracy to include the USA’s form of government. Why? Because this use of the word has become so widespread.
The American Heritage Dictionary 2009 defines “democracy” as:
“Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.”
The Random House Dictionary 2010 defines it as:
“government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.”
These definitions include the USA’s form of government because of the parts concerning “elected agents” and “elected representatives.”
Languages do change.
Laura?
Really? The unammended constitution? Please! What part of republic don’t you understand? This country was never set up to be a democracy. IF IT WAS WE WOULD ALL (citizens) VOTE ON LEGISLATION. That is the definition of democracy. This is a Republic. I suggest you refresh your knowledge of the definitions. “If only” they had blah blah blah! They didn’t, this is what you have. And it’s people that are trying to change it that the public isn’t happy about. Hence the presidential approval rating, and congress having the lowest approval in history.
but…. “if only”….
One fact that needs to be kept in mind when prsising the Founding Fathers promotion of the rights of the individual, especially when weighted against the duty of the state, is that this nation was not originally designe to be a democracy. In the original, unamended Constitution, the only body that was directly voted for was the House of Representatives. The judiciary, Senate and executive were all designed to be selected by a group of people who were supposed to be wiser and capable of making better reasoned choices than the masses. The Vice President was instantly the #2 from the presidential results, whether the pres and vp could work together or not. Imagine how that would have worked with some of the past presidential candidates we had in the past. Bush/Kerry, Ford/Carter, Reagan/Mondale? The Founding Fathers recognized the dangers of a whipped up, overly impassioned majority and the damage it could cause.
How would the Founding Fathers look at the modern political and civil climate? I think this nation as it currently stands are representative of some of their greatest fears and is precisely what they had originally tried to prevent, but that we have undone therough amendment and social culture.
” What was widely accepted then is abhorred now, but these founders penned a document that set this country on a road of good principles that has been copied or emulated throughout the world since. I truly believe their words and writings were inspired by God.”
This part more than any other caught my attention because a reversal of order in that statement can enable glaening of what I believe to be a guiding perspective.
No space for it here and no time to compose it right now. But, thanks for the inspiration.