Today is July 4, 2007 – the 231st birthday of the United States of America. It has been an amazing 2 1/3 centuries, with many ups and downs along the way, but the principles upon which America was founded are still held in high regard and cherished by the vast majority of the population.
But sadly, many of our elected officials have forgotten those principles, and until just a few days ago they seemed bound and determined to pass legislation which would have diminished our nation’s sovereignty, integrity and security. Sometimes I think they could use a refresher class in American history.
Way back on July 4, 1776, our founding fathers released one of the most important and beloved documents ever written: the Declaration of Independence. Having grown tired of the British king’s unfair treatment (primarily in the area of taxation), the colonists decided they had had enough, and through the publication of that solemn document they declared that God had granted all human beings certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
They also declared that the king had systematically trampled upon those God-given rights, and that as of July 4, 1776 the thirteen American colonies were a new sovereign nation independent of mother England: The United States of America. On that auspicious day the most prosperous, generous and powerful nation the world has ever known was born from the ashes of tyranny and despair.
The U.S. Constitution is the document in which our nation and its leaders find their authority, responsibilities and limitations, and although it has been amended a number of times, the Constitution is still just as relevant and important today as it ever was. Unfortunately, today we find activist judges “making law” on their own instead of simply determining the constitutionality of the laws passed by Congress as demanded by the Constitution.
And just as bad, we have a Congress and a President who have apparently decided that the Constitution should be used simply as a guide in doing the nation’s business, not as the definitive “law of the land” that our forefathers so wisely and effectively established. How else can one explain the idiotic immigration bill that they were determined to ram down the throats of the 90% of American citizens who recognized the damage it would have done to America’s sovereignty, security and culture?
I scratched my head in amazement every time I heard one of our Senators talk about how much better off we would be after we rewarded some 14 million criminals with a “path to citizenship” and opened up our borders to free and unfettered access to anyone who wishes to enter our country. Is that what Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and the rest of those wise founding fathers had in mind 231 years ago? Somehow I doubt it.
Thankfully, the Republicans in the Senate came to their senses and realized what dangerous ground they were treading on with this “amnesty bill”. Let’s just hope they continue to do the right thing and refuse to allow it to raise its ugly head above the Senate floor once again. For now at least, the Constitution has won out over idiocy. I thank God each and every day for allowing me to be born right here in the good ole USA. Happy Birthday America!