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After a long, hot summer of meeting in closed delegation in the year 1787, our Founding Fathers framed a new governing document, the Constitution of the United States of America, "in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..."
Much ink has been spilled reflecting on this governing document and its enduring worth. This constituting document of our United States not only establishes and maintains the law of our great nation, but is also useful as a piece of history; and, perhaps even more importantly, serves as a clarion call to those of us living united in this great nation to engage ourselves in vigorous and lively civic participation.
Such civic participation is not only a responsibility of all citizens of these United States, but more strongly may be considered one of the "Blessings of Liberty" as defined in the Constitution. One often forgotten element of this Constitution is the general, yet essential, emphasis on the opportunity and Blessing of Liberty. The blessings and opportunities of Liberty and civic participation afforded by such Liberty cannot be overstated. Responsibilities to civic engagement are well and good; however, our Liberty, our freedom, affords us the opportunity and blessing of engaging in our shared civic life.
Collective memory in this country is far too short. How can we, only a short 237 years from the Declaration of our Independence, have forgotten the pressure under which the new inhabitants of this beautiful country had lived?
Collective memory in this country is far too short. How can we, only a short 237 years from the Declaration of our Independence, have forgotten the pressure under which the new inhabitants of this beautiful country had lived?
July 4th of every year Americans gather to celebrate Independence Day. This national holiday recalls our difficult separation from the rule of the King of Great Britain and finds itself rooted in another of our most important and enduring documents, the Declaration of Independence. Here we recall these important words, "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."
These "self-evident" truths concerning equality among all human beings and the endowed, unalienable rights of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, were carefully discerned by our Founding Fathers and diligently protected by all who have given their lives to ensure that they can never be taken from us.
There is no greater crime in America than lazy and sloppy civic engagement. Our Life, our Liberty, our pursuit of Happiness, are Blessings and opportunities. Civic engagement among civilians is the highest form of honor we can give to these self-evident truths, to our Founding Fathers, and to all who have died in service to this great country. A magnetic, yellow ribbon on the bumper of your car, a sign in your yard that proclaims, "Support our Troops!" are nothing compared to your time, your talents, your resources, given in service to the general Welfare of ourselves and our Posterity.
Our civic service is not to some certain government, not to some certain political party, but to the ideals of this great United States of America; we give ourselves to the self-evident truths of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. We simply must put aside our polarized, political scheming and begin engaging in civic service for the sake of our fellow human being. We must not let our Founding Fathers and all of the brave men and women who have died for this country go unhonored by our lazy and sloppy participation in civic life. We must be engaged, we must be involved.
Whether we choose to involve ourselves in paid, public civil service, heroic and unnoticed volunteerism, or simply stewarding our time in our churches, we must be engaged. No one, young or old, weak or strong, has any excuse. You have not put in your time. Your years of service are not over. You do not have the right to back off. You have the opportunity, the Blessing, of serving. Civic engagement is a Blessing of Liberty, a blessing of our freedom as Americans. Your time of service is only up when you go to rest in the arms of your Creator and Redeemer.
So get to work, America. Quit your fighting, your scheming, your vitriolic backbiting. Get out there. Serve your fellow human being. Engage in civic life. For the sake of our Blessings of Liberty, for the sake of our freedom as Americans, Go!
These "self-evident" truths concerning equality among all human beings and the endowed, unalienable rights of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, were carefully discerned by our Founding Fathers and diligently protected by all who have given their lives to ensure that they can never be taken from us.
There is no greater crime in America than lazy and sloppy civic engagement. Our Life, our Liberty, our pursuit of Happiness, are Blessings and opportunities. Civic engagement among civilians is the highest form of honor we can give to these self-evident truths, to our Founding Fathers, and to all who have died in service to this great country. A magnetic, yellow ribbon on the bumper of your car, a sign in your yard that proclaims, "Support our Troops!" are nothing compared to your time, your talents, your resources, given in service to the general Welfare of ourselves and our Posterity.
Our civic service is not to some certain government, not to some certain political party, but to the ideals of this great United States of America; we give ourselves to the self-evident truths of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. We simply must put aside our polarized, political scheming and begin engaging in civic service for the sake of our fellow human being. We must not let our Founding Fathers and all of the brave men and women who have died for this country go unhonored by our lazy and sloppy participation in civic life. We must be engaged, we must be involved.
Whether we choose to involve ourselves in paid, public civil service, heroic and unnoticed volunteerism, or simply stewarding our time in our churches, we must be engaged. No one, young or old, weak or strong, has any excuse. You have not put in your time. Your years of service are not over. You do not have the right to back off. You have the opportunity, the Blessing, of serving. Civic engagement is a Blessing of Liberty, a blessing of our freedom as Americans. Your time of service is only up when you go to rest in the arms of your Creator and Redeemer.
So get to work, America. Quit your fighting, your scheming, your vitriolic backbiting. Get out there. Serve your fellow human being. Engage in civic life. For the sake of our Blessings of Liberty, for the sake of our freedom as Americans, Go!
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