Fort Report: We Hold These Truths
Jul 3, 2014
When the occasion presents itself, I enjoy speaking with high school students throughout Nebraska’s First Congressional District. We have lively, wide-ranging discussions on the civic process and the news of the day. Our focus often turns to the uniqueness of America's birth and growth as a nation and the integral importance of our founding documents, particularly the Declaration of Independence.
There is one line in the Declaration that I like to review with the students, and look at word by word. You’ve heard it before. You’ve read it before. But it always bears repeating:
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.
– The Declaration of Independence
This is perhaps the most important line written in American history. It captures the essence of our founding, the essence of our culture, the understanding of the nature of our rights as well as our form of government. It set the stage for the proper use and control of power.
As the Continental Congress finished drafting the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin walked out of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall and encountered a crowd of people. A woman came up to him and asked what type of government the delegates had created. Franklin answered bluntly: “A republic – if you can keep it.”
It is up to every generation keep it: the ideals of our founding, re-presenting them in our time and culture, and protecting and nurturing them for the next generation. This is why Independence Day is so important. The Fourth of July is filled with parades, fireworks, and time with family. It’s particularly wonderful in Nebraska with our strong civic traditions. Through this national holiday we remember, celebrate, and pass on our heritage.
I hope to see many of you in Seward, Nebraska's "Fourth of July City." Have a happy and safe Independence Day!
