Happy Birthday, America. We are 248 years old, counting from July 4, 1776.
Time to revisit the Declaration of Independence.
I look at this foundational document as laying the foundation of “freedom FROM” as well as setting up the possibilities for “Freedom TO.” That is, before we can do the good stuff, the aspirational stuff – we have to jettison the bad stuff, the conditions which hinder or even attack our abilities to do good and improve.
For our founding generation, it was Great Britan, the colonial administration – or, to be very specific, the King of England, who was holing us down, who was blocking America’s ability to improve – to do it’s thing the way it wanted to do it.
The focus of the document, taking up 749 of the Declaration’s 1,333 words, was a long list of complaints against George III (1760-1820).
Since the Supreme Court has just re-introduced the concept of an absolute autocrat to the American governmental system, it is time to revive and update that list of complaints.
The history of the present Donald Trump, former President, is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has rallied his governors to pass unwholesome laws that deprive Citizens of their rights, forbid the sensible practices of science and reason, and generally seek to protect White men from any upset.He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. These judges know not the true history of our laws and customs and have replaced them with a Bizarro construction of law that crushes the commoner, lifts up the wealthy, and enshrines guns, billionaires, and the Christian Bible as that which will guide our progress.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: by denying our age old allies of democracy and replacing them with foreign tyrants and Russian oligarchs. By consorting with depraved Foreign Despots and seeking to bring their practices and usurpations to our land. By stealing our most precious National Secrets and selling them to Foreign Powers for profit and personal advantage.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. He openly calls for Violence against those who oppose him – by beating, hanging, and shooting with bullets. He sows hatred and ignorance and pits neighbor against neighbor, region against region so that no Person can thinketh straight, find common cause with others, or get a good night’s sleep.
He hath caused his followers to Riot and do general violence against the dully constituted Government of this land and sought to replace the Rule of Law with his own rapacious appetite for self-aggrandizement, profit, lust, and profanity. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, and Leaders of the Heritage Foundation, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions, We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. This Trump has spoken nothing but lies, falsehoods, calumnies, and mockeries and is incapable of seeing or acknowledging Truth.
We, therefore, the Sane People of the united States of America, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these lands, solemnly publish and declare, That these Free and Independent States are Absolved from all Allegiance to Donald Trump, and that all political connection between them and the Trump, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War against Trump. 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.
Signed thisday, the 4th Day of July, Two Thousand and Twenty-Four.