While it’s maybe not “woke” enough for some sensibilities, OnionBusiness.com would like to wish every American a safe and happy Independence Day.
We urge all to meditate on the words of our founders, particularly on their warnings about tyranny and subjugation. And we fervently hope the generations coming up learn and understand our rich history, the good and the bad, and understand that freedom comes at a cost.
We pray for those who put their lives on the line for this nation and for its citizens. We pray for those whose understanding of our country is so tainted by hate that they live in self-induced paralysis, unable to see the good and unwilling to embrace the concept of “freedom and liberty for all.”
That “all” embraces those who disagree with the haters.
We invite you all to re-read the words written centuries ago, words that honor God and His creation – which includes this land.
The Declaration of Independence, ratified on July 4, 1776, begins thus:
“In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America,
‘When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.’”
And it continues:
“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 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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
And after outlining a detailed indictment of King George, the founders concluded:
“We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.”
The final words of this powerful document are these, and worthy of our thanks not just one day of the year but every day of our lives:
“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.”
God Bless America!
