On this date in 1776, America went famously on record against governmental tyranny and against the usurpation of powers not rightfully authorized. She declared that the only rightful powers of a government are those to which the people consent, and that those powers must serve toward life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
This was a bold judgment, of course, from men who had an extraordinary will to make things right on their watch—and who knew that they were risking their lives to do so. And they were also risking something else that’s worth noting for our own consideration. That is, having put such judgments on the record, they were raising a philosophical standard against which America could itself be judged for however many centuries she would last, and even after that. From that moment forward, the question was forever posed: Having thrown off the tyrant, would America become a tyrant herself—or would she tolerate tyranny in her own ranks? Or, alternately, would she succeed in taking that high road of justice that her Declaration seemed to laud as the only right road for government?
Indeed, she left herself no wiggle room, for in that Declaration, she did not argue that it was the option of the people to throw off a tyrannical and usurping government. Rather, she went so far as to declare that it was their duty to do so. Here are her exact words (emphasis added):
“But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.”
Declaration of independence. 1776.
In other words, in declaring it the duty of the people to throw off an overreaching government, not only did she leave no room for such an unruly government to exist, but she left no alternative behavior for a just people than to exercise this duty in throwing off such tyranny.
This raised yet another similar question, ever looming from that moment to this: Having declared such a duty to be incumbent upon mankind, would she prove faithful in it, or would she be a hypocrite? Indeed, if America should ever fail in this duty, would she not deserve the sting of her own founders’ rebuke? Would she not be condemned by her own Declaration of record?
It was long ago condemned to judge others by a standard one does not meet himself:
“…with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
Jesus. esv, Matthew 7:2. Circa 30 CE
The human was to be the authentic sort—the sort to correct in himself such faults as he would recognize in others. Else, when he judges others, he also judges himself for those same offenses. And I can’t figure how this same principle does not hold true for countries, too. Indeed! Are countries not merely collections of humans, who are themselves under compulsion from the Creator to be righteous?
So, on this, our birthday, we do well to take a responsible survey of our lot, asking ourselves regarding this Declaration, “So, how’s that going?” When tyranny and usurpation raise their ugly heads, do we quickly subject them to justice? Or have we since lowered that bold standard that was raised for us in 1776?
If we have kept the vigil and proven faithful, we should wholeheartedly celebrate that accomplishment on this day, and give solemn honor to that great lifestyle of sacrifice and diligence that is necessary to achieve such a high-minded and high-moraled end. But if we have abdicated such duty, having lowered that standard raised so long ago and pursued with the blood of patriots, we should rightly see this holiday as a day of national shame, and not of honor—a day for disgrace, and not for revelry.
And I should add here a thought that I fear will not occur to very many: If we have strayed, we always have the option of responsible self-correction. I’m especially fond of the way that Jefferson put it here (emphasis added):
“If any of your bad people injure your neighbors, be ready to acknowledge it and to do them justice. It is more honorable to repair a wrong than to persist in it.”
Thomas Jefferson. To the Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation
Washington, January 10, 1806.
We do well to reflect for a time on the glorious audacity of a people who, seeing on their watch a colossal wrong in play, would strive to correct it. Not many have such a strong will to do what is right as they did. And I’m afraid that our own generation is not a good example of that will. We cannot rightly rest on the laurels of our forbears, for we ourselves are not in the spotlight in this, our moment.
Why not bear out such character and accomplishment in our own right, on our own watch? Why not be champions in our own time, authentically upholding those bold and just principles and practices to which we ostensibly offer up a consecrated day every year? Or is such boldness to be celebrated only in the men and women of centuries past?
These questions deserve our diligent devotion.
I can celebrate this day for the principles it signaled in the past, but it is a difficult day in light of how we have let the principles go, and no longer have the will to assert them upon our own times.
