The Fourth of July marks the day in 1776 when the 13 original colonies declared independence from Great Britain. 12 years later, the Constitution was ratified and the United States would be officially born, but today — July 4th — is widely acknowledged as the birth of American independence.
The famous preamble to the Declaration of Independence includes the following lines:
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.
On this Independence Day (and every day), I am grateful for the liberty and freedom granted to me by being born here in the United States. The privilege to make my own version of the American Dream a reality, to live and be happy on my own terms, is not lost on me. I am reminded that this path forward would not be possible without the brave actions of our forefathers many years ago.
True, the United States is not a perfect country, nor was it in 1776. There is plenty we can do to ensure these self-evident truths are indeed ensured for all citizens, unconditionally. But it is our country — and as the second line of the preamble states, the government derives its power from our consent.
So as citizens, we have the power to change, to build, to grow. Today is a celebration of what we do right and a challenge to make this country the best it can be.
America is a tune. It must be sung together.
— Gerald Stanley Lee
Onward.
