Tip 639: For the Fourth: An Appreciation

For the Fourth of July: An Appreciation

A long time ago, I lived and worked in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I was there on a Fourth of July.

Since the Kingdom didn’t celebrate—and discouraged celebration—of American independence, I took some time, went to the local library, and pulled a copy of the Declaration. 

It’s a beautiful document. Ponder—  

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another . . .  a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Jefferson and his fellow signers were decent men. They did the right thing: “Because we’re leaving, you deserve to know the reasons why.”

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. . . . 

Ground breaking. Earth shattering. Words never uttered before. All men and women. Equal. Equal.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed . . . . 

The people rule. They decide. The people.

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Our lives. Our fortunes. Our sacred honor. All in.

These were patriots. 

Let us remember. 

We must remember.