I would almost bet money that most, if not all of you have heard the famous quote by Benjamin Franklin when, upon exiting the Constitutional Convention in 1787, he was asked whether the United States was going to be a monarchy or a republic.
“A republic, if you can keep it.”
Since then, Americans have fought to retain their freedom, and to maintain the delicate balance of government that we like to call a Constitutional Republic.
Occasionally, I like to read the Declaration of Independence, not just as a reminder of how far we’ve come since the days of England’s tyranny, but as a reminder of what we are still fighting for to this day. We have in the White House a president that not only disregards some of the basic freedoms that were given to us by our founding fathers, but seems to be actively seeking to destroy this republic in favor of replacing our time-proven system of government with something more sinister, more tyrannous, more dictatorial.
The entire Declaration of Independence can be read here, but I’d like to pull out a few choice passages, simply to point out how many steps backward our current Dear Leader is attempting to drag us. Whenever the Declaration says “he”, insert “Obama”.
First, read one of the most important parts (and I’ll even help you out with some dictionary definitions):
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces [makes evident/manifests] a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism [absolute power or control; tyranny], it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good…
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance… [Czars. Enough said.]
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. [Libya, anyone?]
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent… [Technically, we have "representation", but do we really?]
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Sometimes, you just can’t help but wonder if the time will come again to throw off the chains of tyranny and demand our freedom again…and if you never hear from me again, I’m probably in a dungeon somewhere. Just joking. Kinda.
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