A New Declaration of Independence from Tyranny
From the brilliantly funny (and unrepentant liberal) Andy Borowitz
My Dear Civic Colleagues:
May I wish you all a happy, healthy, sane, and strong 4th of July. Here is today’s post from the political humorist Andy Borowitz.
When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for a people to break from a leader who governs with cruelty, contempt, and corruption, a decent respect to the opinions of humankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all people are created equal, endowed with inherent dignity and unalienable rights—among these are life, liberty, equality, and the pursuit of justice.
That to secure these rights, governments derive their power from the consent of the governed. When a leader becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right and duty of the people to refuse allegiance and to stand united in the defense of their freedoms.
The current holder of high office has shown himself to be unfit to lead a free and just society.
* He disrespects women, mocking survivors of violence and stripping away their rights.
* He fuels racism and white supremacy, scapegoating communities of color and denying their equality.
* He assaults free speech, attacking the press, punishing dissent, and spreading disinformation.
* He exploits public office for private gain, enriching himself and the billionaire class while abandoning the poor and working people.
* He undermines justice, ignores the rule of law, and places himself above accountability.
* He disregards science, endangering lives in times of crisis and sacrificing the planet for profit.
* He fans division and incites violence to maintain power, wielding fear as a weapon against the people.
Time and again, we have protested peacefully, spoken truthfully, and appealed to our shared humanity. We have been met with indifference, hostility, and violence. A leader who governs through hatred and greed is unfit to govern at all.
Therefore, we, the people of conscience and conviction, do solemnly declare our independence from this tyrant and all he represents.
We withdraw our consent.
We refuse to be complicit in cruelty.
We reject the abuse of power for personal gain.
We stand for dignity, truth, equality, and justice for all people.
With firm reliance on each other and unwavering hope in our collective strength,
We pledge to resist oppression in all its forms,
To uphold the rights of the vulnerable,
And to build a future grounded in compassion, courage, and shared humanity.
Let this declaration be both a breaking and a beginning.
And may I add three resources:
· “The Bill of Obligations – The Ten Habits of Good Citizens” by Richard Haas. “The Bill of Obligations is a bold call for change. In these pages, New York Times bestselling author Richard Haass argues that the very idea of citizenship must be revised and expanded… Richard Haass argues, ‘We get the government and the country we deserve. Getting the one we need, however, is up to us.’ The Bill of Obligations gives citizens across the political spectrum a plan of action to achieve it.”
· The Movement Voter Project – This where Merle and I place our biggest civic investment. This organization is super smart, strategic, and open to asking the tough questions about how we move forward to justice. They partner with and bankroll local political and community organizing in battle-ground states with remarkable results.
· The 100K Project – OK, this is a plug for the civic work I am now engaged in. We are seeking to inspire and equip 100,000 servant-leaders from the arts, nonprofit, social worker, library, science, nursing, and education sectors to run for local office or help someone run – right now.
Happy Birthday, America.