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We hope this Independence Day brings all Americans together to celebrate our nation’s foundation — at a time when this country seems torn asunder by many of the same issues that led our founders to break from the British crown and declare our autonomy.
July Fourth celebrates our nation’s Declaration of Independence from British control, even though that independence wasn’t achieved until 1783, after more than eight years of fierce fighting. Still, that declaration eloquently enumerates many of the reasons the American colonists fought to break off the yoke of suppression by the British crown.
Unfortunately, Americans today can make many of the same grievances against our own government.
As we reassert our nation’s independence, we would do well to review some of those charges laid out in our declaration, which was intended to assert the independence of the American people over any government that would seek to subvert them — including our own.
“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 ….”
Increasing regulation, from restrictions on the vehicles we drive to the bathrooms our children may use, imposes the kinds of impediments against which our revolution was commenced.
(The king) “… has refused for a long time … to cause others to be elected. …”
One of our major parties has been working to delegitimize our elections process, refusing to acknowledge the results of elections with which they don’t agree.
“He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners ….”
Efforts to stop immigration comprise the most contentious issue in this campaign. Those efforts already have injured our economy as businesses struggle to find workers and governments at all levels boost taxes to offset the loss of potential taxpayers that immigration would provide.
“He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.”
The steady growth of government bureaucracy and regulation increasingly hinders public freedoms and takes bigger bites out of their hard-earned resources.
(He has given his assent to) “Acts of pretended Legislation:
“For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world.”
From trade restrictions with other countries to increasing tariffs that impede trade, our current government places roadblocks on our desire to seek the best livelihood possible.
“For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.”
Officials increasingly impose and raise taxes without public consent, and fight public notice and meeting laws intended to allow the public to voice their opinions of new taxes and increases.
Several states either have imposed or plan to impose the Ten Commandments and other religious declarations in our schools and other public places. Perhaps they should post our Declaration of Independence, to remind us of the kind of country our founders intended, and which built perhaps the greatest country in modern times.
Editor’s note: This editorial was updated to correct a typo.
