America is not living up to the principles embodied in the Declaration of Independence. As a consequence, there is much unrest. We have forgotten who we are, how we were established and what we were meant to be. We have become a declining, decadent nation; too arrogant for its own good. On this July 4, 2008, we must look back "lest we forget."
Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by a committee, the Declaration of Independence provided an eloquent restatement of John Locke’s theory of natural rights. The document asserts that we are endowed by our Creator with certain God-given rights that cannot be removed by man-made governments. These rights include the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Consider the first violation of principle. The right to life includes the right to be born from our mother’s womb. Abortion on demand rejects this principle.
Another key principle argues that governments are established "by the people" to promote and protect the common good. Our leaders, therefore, should serve at the consent of the governed. Whenever leaders disregard the will of the people, there is a basis for revolt.
Consider the present state of national affairs, in particular the quality of the two candidates now pursuing the presidency. Neither candidate seems to represent the will of the people on a range of key issues such as immigration reform, protection of American jobs and campaign reform that would seriously diminish the role of lobbyists. Instead both candidates cater to the agendas of special interest groups. Real reform is not likely and too much is at stake.
We have developed a sorry state of affairs in which our elected officials are beholden to the will of corporations, foreign leaders, and special interest groups who donate huge sums of money to their campaigns often by bundling the funds. Our once rich nation has squandered its vast resources. We are now dependent on foreign nations for much of our food, clothing and fuel. Our politicians are no longer committed to actively developing our human capital. We have massive trade deficits, out of control federal spending and a lack of interest in becoming self-sufficient as a nation.
Indeed, our elected leaders have repeatedly undermined our national sovereignty by failing to protect our borders and by failing to ensure that the needs of our citizens are given primacy. Most of our media sources and our watchdogs have repeatedly failed us, as have many of our other institutions. The few courageous leaders who dare speak truth find themselves harassed, maligned, and threatened by organized elites and by the masses with eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear.
Santayana famously warned that those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. Our forefathers believed in Divine Providence and using their collective wisdom they drafted documents that have withstood the test of the times. We live in an age where dangers abound. Who will awaken and hold accountable the leaders that betray us?
[Carol Swain is a professor of law and political science at Vanderbilt University. This opinion piece was originally published in The Tennessean on July 4.]
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