I hope most of you recognize this as the second sentence of the American Declaration of Independence. Many of you will point out the problems of this sentence--"all men" clearly not actually meaning all men, let alone people. The presence of a "Creator" is clearly influenced by Christianity. This, shall we say, declaration is so much more than the thinkability problems of its creators. We are in the midst of a constant redefinition of who "all men" includes. Similarly, in the Constitution, "We the People" is always expanding.
The Declaration of Independence also bases the right of governments to govern on "the consent of the governed." Those of us who are governed have the right, and the responsibility, to hold that government accountable. "It is the Right of the People to alter or abolish" "any Form of Government" which "becomes destructive" to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, "Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes"--we ought to try alteration before abolition. (See my earlier post on incremental change.)
I am not saying here that we are not facing serious problems in modern America. I am proposing, that in fighting for change, we remember the ideas that the Great American Experiment was based upon, rather than focusing on the dissonance between those ideals and the lives of the men who espoused them.
To close, a quote I found from John Adams in 1818: "But what do we mean by the American Revolution? DO we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations...This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution."
Clearly, we are always in the midst of an American Revolution.
The Declaration of Independence: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html
John Adams quote: http://www.deseretnews.com/top/2597/19/February-1818-25-historical-quotes-about-the-Declaration-of-Independence-July-4th-and-America.html
