Friday, July 5, 2013

Birthright of an American

Speaking of Words...

Here are some world changing words:

From Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" pamphlet, published in February 1776:

A government of our own is our natural right: And when a man seriously reflects on the precariousness of human affairs, he will become convinced, that it is in finitely wiser and safer, to form a constitution of our own in a cool deliberate manner, while we have it in our power, than to trust such an interesting event to time and chance.

From Samuel Adams:

If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.

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.--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.

I know, I'm a day late... but I wasn't feeling great yesterday.

Besides... shouldn't we celebrate freedom every day? Yeah... that's my excuse.

I really love this country. But more than that, I love the people in this country. We're all fighting to live up to our birthright of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

As we strive towards our own happiness, let's remember the words of Benjamin Franklin:

Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters. 

Today I'm grateful for my birthright.



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