Thanks, fathers, for the words that keep us free

CHASING DOWN THE MUSE

Happy Birthday, America! May the principles upon which you are

founded continue for millenniums to shine as a guiding light for the

rest of the world. May the freedoms you have guaranteed your

citizenry stand as the mark for those who are still oppressed.

On your birthday, this fourth day of July, we gather together with

families and friends to celebrate with backyard barbecues, beachfront

parties, parades and holiday sales. Anxiously, we wait for the sun to

slip beyond the horizon and darkness to take the place of light.

Then, as promised, fireworks displays fill the sky with brilliant

explosions of twinkling colors, a harkening to the “rockets red

glare” so poignantly described in our national anthem.

Somewhere between the hot dogs and the lemonade, I intend to take

a few moments to reflect on the Declaration of Independence and the

creation of our remarkable country. I want to ponder the charge of

our founders to uphold and protect the structure to which they

committed their lives.

It was the summer of 1776 when the call for independence rang

across the land. Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented his

resolution to the Continental Congress, “ ... these United Colonies

are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States ... “ A

committee of five was selected to expand Lee’s sentiments and present

a document to the world as the colonies’ case for independence.

The committee selected Thomas Jefferson to write the draft.

Changes by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and members of the

Continental Congress, were included in the final draft, presented on

July 1. Debate and discussion ensued for three days. On July 4, 1776,

church bells rang out through Philadelphia, announcing that the

Declaration had been officially adopted, the hallmark birth of the

United States of America.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident ... “

They had no doubt, these men who by their acts committed treason.

They were willing to risk everything to confront the King of England,

and form a government without precedent. A government based on the

representation of everyone. A government decided upon by, for and of

the people.

“ ... that all men are created equal ... “

It has taken several iterations and a great deal of suffering, to

implement legislation to insure that the rights of one are the rights

of all. Racial and sexual equality have been hard fought and those

issues continue to be our challenge. We know that physically, each of

us is different. But the substance of the declaration is that no man

-- be he the president or errant tourist -- is above the laws of this

land.

“ ... that they are endowed by their Creator with certain

unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the

pursuit of Happiness.”

What an incredible concept! The pursuit of happiness, coupled with

liberty to flesh out a life. Every morning I wake up and am grateful

to men I never knew for everything I hold sacred. I am free to choose

where I live, the people who are my friends, the type of work I want

to do. I am free to travel, unhindered, within our lands. I am free

to recreate myself again and again.

“That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among

Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

We have the right of participation. We have voices, and the charge

of the framers of our union to utilize them. Our freedoms are won

again and again each time we exercise our right to vote. Each time we

cast a ballot, march in a rally, write a letter to our

representatives, we exercise and perpetuate our consent to be

governed. Because of this, we have the freedom to speak out when

business is suddenly not as usual. We have the freedom to express our

anger when the system fails us, and / or our elected officials do not

represent what we hold to be true.

“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on

the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other

our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

The framers stood united, with the solid understanding that their

strength was in their unity, not their divisiveness. From their brave

unprecedented move, our nation was born, and has succeeded where

others have failed. It is a triumph of spirit, more than anything,

built on that clear and concise belief, that all men are created

equal.

It was worth fighting for then. And it is worth fighting for now.

Happy Birthday, America.

* CATHARINE COOPER sits on the City’s Open Space Committee. She

can be reached at [email protected].