We Hold These Truths To Be Self Evident
Here in the U.S., it's the Independence Day holiday. We celebrate our hard-fought-and-won freedom from the British 230 years ago (it's cute how some of them STILL refer to us as "that wayward colony").
In our Declaration of Independence, there is a phrase that says, “We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...”
The equality of the human race is not the issue I'd like to focus on (that gets a lot of attention in the media through various channels), nor the inalienable rights part. Certainly not the "pursuit of happiness." What I'd like to focus on is the first part of the phrase. "We hold these truths to be self evident..." What a powerful statement for our founding fathers to make. Essentially, they are telling every man, woman, and child - present and future, "Duh! We shouldn't even have to spell this out for you!" They made it very clear that our freedom, our very independence from any other country should be so obvious that it trumps any and every other "truth" that might be out there.
The founding fathers risked a lot by drafting and signing that piece of paper. To make the statements they made in the Declaration of Independence was nothing short of treason in Britain's eyes. But it was a risk well worth it to state "self evident truths." Sometimes it takes a lot of courage to state the obvious. So as you're grilling your hot dogs and hamburgers, as you're watching your parades and fireworks, and as you're laughing and talking with family and friends, take a moment... just a moment... and think about the sacrifices others have made over the past 230 years that allow you to enjoy this moment. Yeah, the truth is pretty self-evident.
Happy Independence Day!
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