Declaration

"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. 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. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world."

Look familiar?  It's the preamble, I suppose you'd call it, to The Declaration of Independence.  What follows the portion I quoted here is a list of the British Crown's governmental abuses against the colonies/colonists.  I do not make it a habit of waxing political around here.  I find politics to be VERY confusing.  Politicians and political games bear a striking resemblance to the histrionics of junior high and high school girls.  Yuk.  That being said, I've been mulling over a few things.

The bottom line is this....you cannot take something away from someone that you didn't give them.  My rights do not originate from ANY buildings in Shelby County, AL...or Montgomery...or Washington D.C. .  They don't!  My rights come from a place much higher...from an all powerful and supremely righteous judge, in whom there is no shadow of turning.  He doesn't issue a statement on Monday and have to retract and redact on Tuesday.  The government didn't give me life, so how do they assume to tell me when it begins and when it should end?  The government didn't give me my ability to speak and write and form thought, so how can it begin to legislate what I say or what I think?  The government didn't equip me with the gifts, talents and strengths that I have, which can be used to provide for my family, so how can they tell me that I have to use said gifts, talents and strengths to support those ABLE BODIED individuals who REFUSE to lift a finger to support themselves?  It wasn't the government who made me realize that, at the tender age of eight years old, I was a sinner and needed Jesus as my Saviour...so anything they say/do about my expression of my faith is moot!  The list goes on...and on...and on.

The question of "how can the government..." is answered with "because we let them."  Somewhere along the way, "we, the people" got lazy.  Our perspective on these freedoms became far too casual and complacency snuck in.  I'm not quite sure what I can do about the pitiful condition of so many of my freedoms, but I can speak about my right to the pursuit of happiness.  Listen up, dear chi'rens....the government didn't give me my happiness, my mirth, my frivolity, my joy and they SHO'NUFF can't take it from me.

Better yet...they can have it when they can pry it from my cold, non-beating heart!