Happy Fourth of July!

In 1776, the liberals in Congress adopted this declaration that the Limbaughs and Hannitys of the age denounced as treason.

Nowadays, we need to read and heed our founding documents more than ever. This morning on NPR (where 60% of the commentators are Republican, by the way) heard the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence, and as I listened I thought about the parallels between George III and George W.

After the reading Judy Muller gave her commentary on how tyrrany slips up on a people. I see tyranny trying to establish a foothold in America today. I don't feel like taking the time to examine every clause of the Declaration of Independence today, but I intend to go through it.

Today, let's look at some of the opening language of the Declaration:

"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."

Is the current government deriving its powers from the consent of the governed? With the Supreme Court allowing (blessing?) Tom DeLay's gerrymandering in Texas, it seems that the governed have less say all the time over who governs them. See my previous post, "On Living in a Pocket Borough."

As for altering or aboloshing our government, we have the ballot box, as long as the people behind Diebold don't manipulate it, rather than raising armed militias. You see how far that got in the 1990s.

As we look forward to November's election, let's give prayerful consideration to the candidates most likely to help effect our Safety and Happiness.

Again, happy Fourth!