The Declaration of Independence: a Modern Call to Action

"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... And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." - The Declaration of Independence

    On July 4, 1776, a group of 56 men signed a document. In doing that, they signed away their lives. By putting their names on the Declaration of Independence, they committed treason against the empire of England. There are many things that we can learn from this document, many things that the signers were willing to die for. But how can we take those lessons and apply them to our corrupt society? By looking deep into those words, so eloquently penned by Thomas Jefferson, we can catch a vision of freedom. The fatal flaw in America today is our selfishness, that we will not stand for others at our own expense.  We need to return to those principles which our founders fought and died for! The Declaration of Independence shows us that there were men who cared more for my liberties, than for their lives.

  The Declaration of Independence was a powerful call to action. It nobly declared that the British government was corrupt, and that government should be in the governed. But why did this matter? Because ALL men are created EQUAL and have certain UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. Jefferson said, " to secure these ends (the protection of our unalienable rights), governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed".  We learn from Jefferson's words that governments exist with the sole purpose of protecting our unalienable rights. These rights, outlined in the declaration, are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness which is made manifest in one's property.  These four rights, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, and the pursuit of property were the things that those men pledged their all to defend. This is amazing to us today. How could they risk everything for that?  Why is this such a foreign idea to us today? Could it be because we are not willing to do the same?

  What happened to those brave men whose names gave the Declaration of Independence it's legitimacy? Five of them were taken captive by the British and tortured. Many of their homes were ransacked and burned. Several died fighting in the war for that very same independence. Others gave all they had in support of freedom. Children and wives were taken by British soldiers and abused before being put into prisons where they later died of neglect. We honor those brave men for that. They were some of the best men our world has ever seen. But the amazing thing is that they, with full knowledge of the consequences that could follow, gave themselves for others, for us. We need to catch that American vision again. The vision of freedom and selfless service for the future, at the expense of our very lives. We need to stand for the liberties of others, and stop wallowing in our pitiful selfishness. How many today would stand and declare to the world, "give ME liberty, or give Me death!"

  The Declaration of Independence was written for us, here, today. I know that they fought and died so that I could live in a free world. I don't think that the world we live in is that world. If we can search this document, and the meaning it had in those great men's lives, then we can begin to create a world like the one they envisioned. A world where my descendants do not have to pay for others to murder innocent souls. A world where they can have a chance to do and to be what they want to be, and not be stopped cold by an over-regulatory government. I want a world where my grandchildren will have their rights to religion; the right to say what they want to, even if it's against homosexuality; a world where they can live in peace. Not one that they have to live their life paying off my debts. This world is possible. It's existed before. We need only to be filled, each one of us, with the passion of those signers. A passion that brought them to poverty. So their children might be rich.

  We cannot wait. If we wait to change, or assume that we will not have to face the consequences of our actions, I promise each of you that if we let that happen, we will have to look our posterity in the eyes and tell them why you didn't defend them. You have a responsibility; you must defend freedom. If you do not than you will answer for that. Are you willing to stand for that liberty? Or are your comforts too big a price to pay for the freedom of others? Is maintaining your reputation and safety worth generations condemned to slavery because you would not relinquish it?  I do not know what others will choose. I do not know if they will have that strength. But for me, I will not permit that. As for me? Give my children liberty, or give me death.

The Constitution: The Key to a Nation's Success

         More than two hundred thirty five years before today, a group of simple men, some called scholars and some called farmers, each representing states from the new union of the United States of America, sat down together at Independence Hall in the sweltering humidity of a Philadelphia summer. Guided by none other than that divine Providence which has appeared all over critical events of this history’s growth, these simple but inspired men, with all their different opinions and arguments, miraculously came together to produce a document. This document, now known as the United States Constitution, undoubtedly changed the world forever. The Constitution was the best thing that ever happened to this country. Without it, history would be repeated again. For hundreds; even thousands of years, the people of nations would have no say in their laws or their government. Nations would have no success because the people were controlled by the government. Everything a person did; everything a person created would be taken by the government. So men of this new nation, who had studied past government systems, knew that if this nation was to be successful, it needed good government without a king. That is the reason that this document; that this government system was created. The Constitution of the United States holds the guidelines to the most successful government system this world had ever known, therefore if any nation is to be successful; it must abide by the principles of that document.

            One reason that the Constitution is the key to a nation’s success is that the men who created it had studied past government systems. In order to prepare for the future, the past must be studied. Every government system has its flaws, so parts which worked were taken out of each government system to create a more perfect union. Many people believe that America’s democracy was modeled after the Greeks’ or the Romans’, but the founders actually insisted that democracy should be modeled after the government of ancient Israel and the laws of Moses. John Adams, who wasn’t able to attend the convention but did make a difference in our government, believed that the Hebrews did more than the Greeks to “enlighten and civilize the world”. The founders also studied many other government systems, including that of the Anglo-Saxons. Many past government systems were created without any look back to see what had worked before. This is why these government systems were not successful. In order to create government which works, a person must look back at what has and hasn’t worked before. That is one reason that the Constitution is necessary for a successful nation—the men who created it knew what would and wouldn’t work, because they had looked back and studied what had and hadn’t worked in the past.

            Another reason the Constitution will create success is that this nation has been successful in the past. Look at how much progress has been made in this world since the Constitution. More progress has been made in the past two hundred years than in the some five thousand years the world has existed before that. Look around you at all the technology we have today. All of this was made possible through this country, the United States of America. This system of government has always worked because, here in America, we are free to create our own businesses sell our own products, and invent our own inventions. We will get credit for what we do here, and that is why this land has been called the land of opportunity. Just look at what we have accomplished here in America with our rights and our creations. As more time passes, more people are realizing that this nation is the place to come to if you want success. That is another reason the Constitution will bring success: it has before.

            The final reason which I will mention that the Constitution will bring success is that the men who created this document were inspired. God helped those men as they were creating this nation. Benjamin Franklin said, during the convention, “God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?” Alexander Hamilton, talking in the convention as well, said, about the Constitution: For my own part, I sincerely esteem it a system which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests.” James Madison read Isaiah 33:22 in the convention, “For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us.” These men who framed our government knew that without God, this government system could not have come together like it did. They knew that God was helping them the whole way through that convention. And that is perhaps the most convincing reason that the Constitution will bring success.

            Our country is still amazing. The stars and stripes waving in the wind, still can, and still do represent this land of opportunity; this land of the free, this home of the brave. The extensive blue sky over the luscious sea of grain, the pure, white, domed building, with its powerful columns shooting down into a solid foundation of stone, the soft, grainy sands on the shores of the Pacific; these beloved symbols still do represent this great nation, in which many brave, inspired souls have rung the bell of liberty and justice all over the world. Our country; our nation is still the most successful and inspired nation the world has ever seen. But to have success, we must abide by the principles of the Constitution. That document is the key to our success here in America. If we don’t abide by the guidelines in which that document has, we will fall. That is why the Constitution of the United States of America is the only way to a nation’s success.

The Constitution: Hanging by a Thread

"It is the nature of power, especially political power, but all power... the nature of power is to centralize and then to expand." -- Oliver DeMille

  This is a profound statement. But is it true? If so, did the founders know that? What safety measures did they put in place to protect our freedom? And how have those safeties been violated since their implementation?

   Any glimpse at history would show that power, if left unchecked, will always seek more power. The founders recognized this. So they took proper precautionary advances to stop this. As Jefferson said that "It is by dividing and subdividing these republics...that all will be done for the best." (Letter to Joseph C. Cabell, 1816)
   What are these "divisions and subdivisions" that the founders placed into our Constitution to protect us?
There are 16 major principles that lay the foundation of our country's freedom from this "over-centralized" government. Let's take a moment to go over these 16 foundations of a free republic.

16 Divisions and Subdivisions of Government

   The founders wrote these things into our supreme law. As we take a look at these principles please look for ways that these things may have been violated. 

1. A separation of powers between the branches of government.
2. Checks (as in checks & balances). The founders referred to these as negatives, or ways that one branch can stop the others.
3. Balances. Referred to as positives by the founders. It is a way to force cooperation between branches.
4. A separation of powers between the federal and state governments by using checks and balances.
5. 20 powers of the congress written into the Constitution.
6. All powers of government were specifically written out and prescribed. All unwritten rights rest with the people and the states. 
7. A jury of the vicinage, or a jury of those who know you so that your rights may be properly protected. This form of jury actually had the power to negate any law in a given case if they so desired.
8. Tax collection was a state power. No "income tax" or federal taxation of people specifically.
9. States could veto federal programs by using their appointed senators.
10. There were limits on government coining and spending money. 
11. A bill of rights and due process, habius corpus.
12. State oversight of wars and treaties via appointed Senators.
13. No ex post facto laws or retroactive laws.
14. No bills of attainder or a bill that targets a specific group or person. 
15. That the Legislature has primacy. Because it is represented by the people it should have more power and more checks.
16. Privacy rights and protection of personal papers and forms.

   These were what the founders did to stop our Government from centralizing and expanding. But were there ways around this? If these divisions represent the rope that is holding up our Constitution, have we violated them to the point that it is "hanging as it is, by a single thread"?

Waves of Attack: Cutting the threads

   In the history of our country there have been four waves of attack on our Constitution, and each one significantly damaged our rope. While at the time it didn't seem like a huge deal, after all the attacks it's starting to pile up. And now the government of "We the People" is hanging by a thread. Let's take a look at these waves. 

 The First Wave: 1803-1824

   In 1803 the first major blow to our rope came. In the case of Marbury v. Madison the Judiciary branch ruled that it had the power to determine the constitutionality of anything for anyone in the government. This came from the idea that they could do this "in any given case." They did not have that power and they gave to themselves what they did not posses in the first place, sound like a centralization of power? I would say so. 

   Later, in the case of Cohens v. Virginia in 1821 the Supreme Court ruled itself above the states with its power to veto the states' decisions. Once again the court attacked our foundation and centralized the government power even more. 

   Over the following years even more cases were tried, and the power was shifted further to the Supreme Court. 

   In this attack there were major blows to divisions 1-3, and a large loss of division 4. Though it was not huge, we started down a path a centralization that has not stopped. 

The Second Wave: Post-Civil War carpet bagging. 

   Following the civil war there was a huge push for bigger federal government and smaller state government. This was only the natural response to a civil conflict. But, in result of this change, there were some decisions made and national attitudes changed that still affect us almost 200 years later. 

  1. The first big attitude change was huge. The government began to act as more of a national government instead of a federal government. This was big. Where a federal government is there to keep the states working together in a national federation, a national government was one where the basic unit was the nation, and the states are only divisions of it. In this new focus and attitude the states surrendered many of their rights to the now national government. At this point the emphasis moved from The United States of America, to, The United States of America. 

  2. The next paradigm shift came as a serious blow to divisions 5 and 6. The national idea of where unwritten rights lay changed drastically. This had happened before at the time of the Norman conquest of England. Before the Norman invasion, the Anglo-Saxons had some government. It even worked! The basis of this government was that it would take care of the rights and executions of laws that were prescribed to it by their law. Any unwritten, God given rights lay with people until the people willingly gave them to the government. This was the view of pre-civil war America. Following the war, there was a shift to the Norman approach to government. This basically consisted of a supreme government that held all rights and power in itself. This idea was the new framework for post-civil war America.

  3. The last attack of this wave was very direct, focusing on one division. This was the jury of the vicinage. In this attack the judicial branch ruled that juries no longer had power to negate laws. Even though this seems slightly insignificant, in the actuality of the matter, this was a huge shift in power to the national government. Once again we see the power centralizing. 

   At this point we are seeing a significant number of our threads have been weakened and several have been formally cut. 

The Third Wave: 1913

   1913 was a horrendous year for America. Interesting that this happened 100 years ago. If the fourth turning (see The Fourth Turning, Strauss & Howe) holds true, we may be in for a huge fatal attack in the upcoming years, but more on that later. 

   Three major things struck our divisions in 1913.
    1. The Sixteenth Amendment. 

"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."

   This amendment shifted the power to tax people from the states to the Congress. It also places an income tax on the people. At this point the states still had some power, but the national government had far more than the states did. At this point the only real ability and hold that the states had against the government is their appointed senators. But that is about to change.
   2. The next attack of 1913 came with the Seventeenth Amendment.  Let's take a look at that one:

"The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote..."

  This is bad. This amendment utterly abolished the 4th, 9th, and 12th divisions.  By doing this, the states no longer had any real say over what happened in the Congress. This was one of the worst things ever done to our Constitution. It also laid the path for further centralization of power.
   3. The last attack of 1913 came with the establishment of the Federal Reserve. Contrary to popular belief, the Federal Reserve is not a government organization! It is, however, a private business that makes money making money. Oh, and they're the only people that can do this. That means it's a money making monopoly. Not cool. This attacked division ten very directly. Now there was no limit to "coining money" and with a government that already spent more than it earned we were in for some trouble.

Where are we now?

   Let's take a moment and look at the world of 1913. At this point was the Constitution hanging by a thread? Let's look at our list again:

1st-4th : infringed on by 1st and 2nd waves.

5th-7th : attacked by 2nd wave

8th-10th, 12th: Destroyed by 3rd wave. 

   So, of the original 16, we only have five real divisions left, I believe that would constitute hanging by a thread. 

The Fourth Wave: Black Tuesday to ???

   The fourth attack started with Black Tuesday, later with the 9/11 attacks, and in the 2008 market free fall. In lieu of this, we have seen a huge campaign for bigger national government and smaller state governments. This plan ran smoothly through the system because of the change in the senate. Many other divisions were violated at this time as well. Ex post facto laws were being passed left and right, justified by a government trying to save these businesses that were, "Too Big to Fail."  Many of these bills also targeted small groups or individuals. In a short period of time two of the remaining divisions were completely forgotten.
   Also there was the Patriot Act. With that went a part of the Bill of Rights and due process is only a formality. Because of all this the government has completely bypassed almost all of it's divisions. Most of the power has now centralized in Washington, and we have seen it expanding quickly. Obama has already issued 14 executive orders (which bypasses division 15) and with the NSA, Homeland Security, and all the other "Big Brother" programs we have lost the 16th division.
   This is where we stand now. The first three divisions are the only ones that are even partially left. We are on the brink of a loss of our freedoms. We are in desperate need of people, statesmen, who can restore our freedom. Who can bring back what has been lost. Are we ready, or will we stand idly by as we lose the last freedoms we have?

What can we do about it?

   This has been a rather depressing topic. If you have been discouraged by this, don't be! There's still a hope for America. I'm sure that there is a solution, but to find it, we need to look at the source of the problem. 

   I believe that the problem lies in complacency. There were three points about complacency that Oliver DeMille lines out in his audio course Hanging By a Thread (which, by the way, is the inspiration for this article). Let's look at these points.

• The people don't know that these things are happening. 
• The masses don't read the classics. 
• We've lost leadership qualities and innovative qualities as a society.

   These are the problems, so how can we fix them? There are things we can do to save this country! Here are some ways that you can fight the complacency.

• Share what is happening in our world. (you could share this article, start right now!) Increase awareness on major world issues.
• Read! Help promote this point others, that those who know the classics will lead society. 
• Be entrepreneurs. They have the qualities of leadership and Innovation that we need to fix our country. 

   This is what we need to do about it. Stand up, fight for your beliefs and for your freedom! 

   The nature of power is first, to centralize, and then to expand. Our government has centralized into Washington and now we are seeing it expanding. The divisions of the Constitution, the rope that holds it up, have been cut away over the many waves of attack. We are at the edge. If we sit here complacently and let the storm wash over us we will have to look our grandchildren in the eyes and tell them that we lost their freedom. We can fix this if we try. Even though our freedoms are hanging by a thread, we can save this. We can take that rope and we can fix it, and bring us back to the glory of ages past. Will you stand for liberty? 

Thank you for you time. Have a great day! 

Inspiration for this article, division list and quotes from Oliver DeMille's audio lecture; Hanging By a Thread available for purchase at link. 

The Gettysburg Address: Is God Dead In America?

            Last Tuesday was the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address", a speech that we can all agree helped shape and define America. On the morning of this anniversary, I was sitting in a class at my local Junior High School. It was the first period of the day, so the loudspeaker came on for announcements. After the bulk of the announcements, a boy came on the loudspeaker and said, "Today is the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address!" He proceeded to read the speech. However, I was disturbed by what he recited. The wording of the speech that he was reading was far from the wording of the Gettysburg Address that I knew. What is going on here? I asked myself. My initial thought was that he was trying to recite the speech from memory, and that he was failing very badly. However, at these were his words at the end of the speech: "...that these dead shall not have died in vain, that the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." He had omitted God from the Gettysburg Address! At this point, I was furious. The school district must not allow God in schools. Lincoln would be ashamed. I thought. However, I thought nothing else of it as I went about experiencing my Tuesday. However, my anger was re-kindled that evening when I came across this video:

            My anger was now as hot as a burnt potato bursting out of an over-sized volcano. However, a lot of this anger was a result of my ignorance on this issue. I suspected that something was going on, so I decided to do a little bit of research. This is what I discovered:

Obviously, nobody knows the exact words that came out of Abraham Lincoln's mouth during the Gettysburg Address, because it was a speech. We know the exact words of the Constitution, because the Constitution was always meant to be a physical, written document. You can't know the exact words of a speech unless you record that speech, and unfortunately, a sound recording of the Gettysburg Address is not available. As a result of this, there are five original copies of the Gettysburg Address: 

The "Nicolay Copy" 

The "Hay Draft"

The "Everett Copy"

The "Bancroft Copy"

The "Bliss Copy"

            The first two of these copies (the Nicolay and the Hay) were drafts written by Lincoln before giving the speech. These copies are often referred to as the first and second drafts of the Gettysburg Address. Neither of these drafts include the words "under God" in them. These copies were originally written by Lincoln before giving his speech, and the drafts are named after John Nicolay and John Hay, who were two of Lincoln's secretaries. Obviously, neither of these drafts include Lincoln's signature, because they were only notes to himself. Scholars disagree on which of these copies was the actual paper that Lincoln used as a reference during his speech, but it makes more sense that the Hay Draft would be the paper, because it was the second draft of the speech, and the wording is closer to the wording of many newspaper reports of the speech.   

Abraham Lincoln, shortly after delivering "The
Gettysburg Address"

          The remaining three copies (the Everett, Bancroft, and Bliss) were copies that Lincoln wrote after delivering the Gettysburg Address. All three of these copies each include the words "under God" in them. Lincoln wrote these copies by hand as a request from three different people at three different times (Edward Everett, George Bancroft, and Alexander Bliss). Many experts accept the Bliss copy as the Gettysburg Address, because it is the only copy out of all five that includes Lincoln's signature (the Bliss copy was also the only Gettysburg Address that I knew on Tuesday). 

         The copy that was being quoted by President Obama and the boy at the Junior High School is the Nicolay copy (the copy that is believed to be the first draft of the Gettysburg Address). It doesn't make any sense that they would choose to quote the first draft, because Lincoln obviously changed his speech after writing the first draft. It would have made a lot more sense if they would've quoted the Hay draft, at least. It certainly would've made a lot more sense to quote any of the drafts that were written after Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address, because the drafts that were written afterwards are obviously a lot more accurate! There is only one explanation for this: politicians and government want to get rid of God in this country.

        Why is it important that we have God in our country? Think about it: this country was based on principles of religious freedom. Religious freedom was the purpose for the Pilgrims and the Puritans coming to America. Look at America's history. Without God, we would be nothing. America would not be independent from Great Britain without God, because the Revolutionary War obviously wouldn't have been won without God. Without God's help, this country would have certainly been split in two at the time of the Civil War. Look at history! This is God's chosen land, but it is becoming something else, and this will undoubtedly bring the curses of God upon us. Where are you, America? Wake up! Millions of us want to take God off of our currency, out of Congress, and out of our Pledge of Allegiance. We have to stop this. Unless we turn this train around, it will plummet into the depths of hell and destruction.

        If there is one thing that I know about the Gettysburg Address, it is this: the words "under God" were uttered by Abraham Lincoln in his speech on November 19, 1863. All three of Lincoln's copies of the Gettysburg Address that were written after he gave the speech mention these words. Multiple newspapers that initially reported the Gettysburg Address mention these words. William E. Barton, one of Lincoln's most famous biographers, says this on the issue: 

"Every stenographic report, good, bad and indifferent, says 'that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom.' There was no common source from which all the reporters could have obtained those words but from Lincoln's own lips at the time of delivery. It will not do to say that [Secretary of War] Stanton suggested those words after Lincoln's return to Washington, for the words were telegraphed by at least three reporters on the afternoon of the delivery."

The arguments for Lincoln's first two drafts of the Gettysburg Address are hereby void. Lincoln had added impromptu words in many of his past speeches. All proof and evidence of the wording of this speech points to the two words "under God". Lincoln was a man of God, and under God, Lincoln kept this nation united in the midst of the Civil War. The Gettysburg Address is a witness and a testimony of this truth:

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate--we cannot consecrate--we cannot hallow--this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." --Abraham Lincoln