Keep Jefferson in the Fourth

Posted by Paul J. Amore on 07.03.2009

On the most important holiday, a look back at the most profound statement in human history.

It amazes me that words don't have more power. Tomorrow is Independence Day, when, 233 years ago, a group of men published the words of Thomas Jefferson:

"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 power 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."

It shouldn't have been necessary to fight a war against Britain to gain our independence. Those words should have hit King George III across the face, and he should have realized that he had, not power over people, but duty to them. But he was crazy, so we'll give him a pass. Surely it should not have been necessary to spend the next eighty years debating and fighting about slavery, when those words should have caused every slaveholder to offer freedom to their slaves. But maybe they were just all really racists, and that can be an explanation if not an excuse.

But how is it that the entire world seemed to hear these words and say, "Yes, very nice sentiment, all perfectly correct, now let us get back to the status quo."

Let's break this down:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident "

This shouldn't be hard, people.

"That all men are created equal."

Well, what does that mean? Remember we're looking for something self-evident. So obviously we're not all the same color or the same height or even the same intelligence. What it does mean is that nobility is a fiction. Your parents can have better genes than mine, and more money, and more time to spend with you, but that's the only benefit you get. You don't get to cut in line ahead of me, or demand my service or my property.

"That they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights"

Well, I see no evidence of a creator, but set that aside. Men, that is to say human beings, have rights even absent other men, or absent societal structure. A man on a desert island has rights. But if that's what this means, then only certain rights can be had. That man on the island can't claim a right to clean water; he gets whatever the rain and the river bring him. Fortunately, Jefferson gives us some examples of the rights he has, and we have.

"That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Your life is your own. You are free. You may follow your star to what you think will make you happy, not what someone else tells you. You have the right to choose ahead of time based on your values, not what will happen afterwards. Hell, you have the right to be an emo and pursue misery just to make the point. You have a right to choose an action, which means the right to prefer, which means the right to value, which means the right to think. No thought may be curtailed.

Notice that it says nothing about help. The right to life does not mean the right to medicine, despite what our president might think. The right to liberty does not mean the right to a consequence, goal achivement, or effect, despite what our Congress might pass. The right to pursue happiness doesn't mean you'll get there, and it doesn't mean you can demand that any other aid your pursuit.

Jefferson was not perfect. He left out a much-needed word from the next part.

"That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just power from the consent of the governed."

The word left out is solely. That solely to secure the rights of men are governments instituted. They're not a natural occurrence. They have to be instituted. Someone with a bigger stick than everyone else gets assigned the job of making sure no one uses sticks. But then feature creep comes in, and soon you've got bureaus and departments and councils. And a funny thing happens: when government takes on jobs it's not supposed to do, it inevitably fails at the job it's supposed to do. We'll always have crime and war? Of course, so long as our government also tries to end want, poverty, and disease. Not their job. Not why the government was instituted among men.

"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 government we have most likely to effect our safety and happiness (kudos to Jefferson for using "effect" as a verb correctly)? Can anyone believe that?

This Saturday is July 4. Celebrate these words by giving them power. Alter our government, if only slightly. Flip off a judge. It's free speech, don't let 'em tell you different. Pray in public, or stand on a corner and explain patiently why you don't pray. It's free religion, don't let 'em question you. Find a way to dodge taxes, and when they come for you, throw the fourteenth amendment in their face. Buy a gun. You might need it. Shoot fireworks, and dare them to arrest you for disposing of your property so as to pursue your happiness. Do something to piss off someone with a government job, even if you have one yourself. Whatever you do, don't let July 4 be a day for state-sanctioned parades on state-built streets past tax-paying stores offering sales to put more of your money in their hands. Thomas Jefferson wouldn't want you to.