Rep's Corner

Usually the 4th of July holiday conjures up images of fireworks, picnics, parades, and parties. Of course it means more. It is on that day in 1776 that the American colonies declared their independence from England and became the United States of America. Each year at this time Americans across the country celebrate the birth of this great nation.

By adopting the Declaration of Independence more than 200 years ago, a group of American colonists took a step that would have a profound impact on world history. In the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson proclaimed that all men are “endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Today, these are familiar words and ideas to all who live in America. However, at the time Jefferson wrote these words liberty was simply not an option for most of the world’s population. Never before had a nation been born in such a manner. Never before had the birth of a nation been heralded by a declaration drafted by elected citizens on the new nation. Never before had such fundamental freedoms been considered the right of all human beings.

Abraham Lincoln marveled at the genius that was the Declaration of Independence. Lincoln said it gave “liberty not alone to the people of this county, but hope to all the world, for all future time.” It gave “promise that in due time the weights of the world would be lifted from the shoulders of all men, and that all shoulders have an equal chance.” Even during the darkest days of the American Civil War, Lincoln echoed the belief of our country’s Founding Fathers that the United States stood as an example of freedom and democracy for the world.

It is with this belief that the 56 delegates who signed the Declaration of Independence over came their differences and laid the foundation for the creation of a government that would strive to assure the freedom and rights of the citizens it served.

Even now, over 200 years after its signing, the Declaration of Independence continues to amaze us with its simplicity, beauty, and power. Its words, echoing through the generations, have become an integral part of the American tradition and experience. I ask you to reflect again on this passage from the Declaration of Independence:

“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.”

I believe that these words are as inspiring today as they were to our forefathers. With the American Revolution already underway, the Declaration of Independence helped to strengthen the resolve and spirit of Americans from the desperate days at Valley Forge to the great victory at Yorktown, Virginia.

It was on such Revolutionary battlefields as Yorktown that the Declaration of Independence received its true test. The courage, sacrifice, dedication, and perseverance displayed by America’s patriots validated the Declaration’s inspiring message. If those first patriots had not been willing to fight for the freedom they demanded, the Declaration of Independence would have been an empty ultimatum.

This has been the case ever since. In order to remain a free nation, in order to keep the rights we so cherish, we must be willing to defend ourselves and protect our democracy. It also means that each one of us must be willing to participate and contribute to the democratic process. This will help to ensure that the United States remains the greatest democracy and, indeed, the greatest country in the world. America has lived in freedom for more than two centuries and continues to stand as the symbol of democracy and freedom for the entire world.

As you celebrate the birth of this great nation, enjoy the fireworks, the barbecues and the gathering of friends and family. However, I also ask you to also recall the words of our forefathers, for those words have built our nation’s pride. Pay tribute to the selfless service of American men and women in uniform, past and present. They have defended the liberty in which our nation was conceived and continue to sustain that liberty today. Let it never be said that we Americans esteem too lightly our blessings of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Those blessings, which began with the birth of our nation on a hot July day in Philadelphia, certainly have not come cheap.


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© Copyright 2008 State Representative Lynn Olman. All rights reserved.