Recently, many of us celebrated America’s birthday with fireworks, parades, flag waving and family get-togethers. And I, like the rest of us, really enjoyed these July 4 celebrations.
But it has occurred to me that as we celebrate the 248th year since our Declaration of Independence, we really could use more than just one day for our patriotic activities. I’d like to suggest that we dedicate the entire month of July to remember how our Independence was declared by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. You may recall the report that when a citizen of the new country asked Founding Father Benjamin Franklin what the Constitutional Convention delegates had given our people, he replied, “A Republic, Madam, if you can keep it.”
We should count among our blessings that our forefathers had the foresight to realize the many challenges a Republic could face and the strength of will to create a document that would stand the test of time. In light of the troubling times today, take a moment to reflect on their words from that Declaration:
“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.”
Now consider the preamble to the U.S. Constitution:
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Many people confuse the terms republic and democracy and even use them interchangeably. But it’s important to remember that America is a republic which selects its government by a democratic process. While a republic is generally defined as a system of government whose powers are restrained by charter or constitution, often to protect the rights of individuals, a democracy instead is governed by the wishes of the majority, with no protection for individuals in a minority.
Hadn’t thought of that before? Not sure? Listen as you recite our pledge: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible and with liberty and justice for all.” In this time of much disagreement, one truth stands strong. We are all one nation, a Republic, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
These timeless words have carried us through many challenging times in the past two and half centuries. And though we may feel divided more than ever, these salient passages once again remind us of how fortunate we are to be part of a country built on the foundation of freedoms – freedoms of speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government which is restrained by its own Constitution.
The key elements of our U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence remind that we are all one people, one nation, one entity. We may have differing opinions, political influences, and experiences, but we are united as one country — the United States of America. Standing true to the foresight of our forefathers and upholding their vision of what freedom means is the key to true patriotism. So, let’s continue our patriotic celebrations throughout this month of July.
Contact Commissioner Dianne Edmondson by email at [email protected] or phone her at 972-434-3960. You can also stop by her office in the Southwest Courthouse, 6200 Canyon Falls Drive, Suite 900, in Flower Mound.
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