Core American values in the Declaration of Independence: compare to what we really have

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Being American is a political distinction. As such, the documents that articulate what it means to be an American, our values and laws, are primarily the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.

Being a proud American means LIVING their values and laws. George Washington admonished Americans to defend our values and law from "the impostures of pretended patriotism." Abraham Lincoln, considered as one of the world's most eloquent and powerful writers urged Americans:
"Let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor;--let every man remember that to violate the law, is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the character of his own, and his children's liberty. Let reverence for the laws, be breathed by every American mother, to the lisping babe, that prattles on her lap--let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in Primers, spelling books, and in Almanacs;--let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation; and let the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the grave and the gay, of all sexes and tongues, and colors and conditions, sacrifice unceasingly upon its altars."

Today, we consider the values of the Declaration of Independence and its application into law.

Some history: America was, and is, unique in political history for taking the HIGHEST values and incorporating them into government. The Founding Fathers considered the contributions of scholars from the Enlightenment period of history - breakthroughs in science and philosophical thought of the fundamental worth of ALL human beings rather than a oligarchy - and consolidated its philosophy and political freedom into the Declaration of Independence. This bold new stand announced to the world and our Creator who Americans are. It does so today for all Americans who stand with Lincoln to LIVE those principles and not succumb to, as Washington wrote, "cunning, ambitious and unprincipled men [who] subvert the Power of the People, & to usurp for themselves the reins of Government; destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion."

Let us consider the American values within the preamble:
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 to 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.

The values:
All human beings are equal in value.

God gave all human beings rights that no other person or group can remove.

Inherent rights for all human beings include the right to not be killed, the right to political and civil freedom, and the right to do what one chooses as long as no harm is done to others.

The purpose of government is to protect the above rights; no more than that.

The only powers government has are those agreed upon by the people; no more than that. If government unlawfully kills, violates political and civil freedom, and/or acts outside the authority granted by the people, then the people are right to end such criminal acts and establish a new government.

I will discuss these values in separate articles. Let's briefly discuss the application of these values upon the laws of the US, to LIVE these morals rather than merely wearing a flag-pin in pretended patriotism. My previous articles document from our own government's reports and expert testimony that the political "leadership" of both parties are in violation of these principles of freedom, justice, and dignity. Both parties lied (and here) and lie our troops into illegal wars, they torture, they're Wars of Aggression have killed over a million human beings and cause unconscionable suffering for millions more, they lie for more war with Iran, they allow states to suffer under easily-dissolved debt, they throw TRILLIONS of our dollars at their oligarch partners while throwing Americans under needless trillions of debt, they deliver empty political rhetoric when the solution of employing Americans is obvious, give half the total value of tax-breaks to the richest 1% (if you don't make over $400,000/year that's not you) while refusing to honor signed documents to just give 0.7% of income to save a million children's lives from poverty every month (ending poverty slows population growth in EVERY historical instance).

It is our right, and is the right action, to alter or abolish our current oligarch government. Both parties' "leaders" are so deep in corruption, there have been almost no criminal investigations or impeachment consideration. I am among colleagues who recommend Truth and Reconciliation as our most practical policy response. The facts are in transparently in front of everyone who cares to see, although seeing the obvious is a challenge when the facts are difficult to embrace.

The following 14-minute video is Morgan Freeman and many of our most-respected actors reading the Declaration of Independence to you. It's worth your attention to understand, and measure its words to our lives in the present. How should you respond?

As always, please share this article with all who consider themselves responsible citizens. If you appreciate my work, please subscribe by clicking under the article title (it's free). Thank you for all you do to hold government accountable for American principles and rule under the Constitution.