Liberty or bondage?

Recently we celebrated Independence Day. Less than 250 years ago, the United States of America became a new nation among the other nations of the world when on July 4, 1776, the second continental congress declared its independence from England and from its King.

The declaration not only outlined the many grievances against the king but proclaimed to the rest of the world why it is altogether proper that people who are being oppressed have the right and the responsibility to throw off an oppressive government and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and nature’s God entitle them.

Our founders believed these laws of nature, these truths, to be self-evident to any person, that all men (humans) are created equal and that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights and among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Their desire was to form a government to secure these self-evident rights, a government that derives its powers from the consent of the governed. This nation's constitution was written to codify these noble desires.

President Lincoln referred to ours as a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Patrick Henry valued liberty so much that he declared, “Give me Liberty or give me death.”

Yet there is a movement within this nation today that believes socialism is a better form of government ignoring our constitution and the liberty it guarantees and ignoring failed socialist governments, the most recent being that of Venezuela.

It is a movement that is redefining the Democrat party as the socialist party of the United States of America.

My parents were Democrats, but they loved this country and they appreciated its constitution and its bill of rights. Similar Democrats today must feel abandoned by their party.

Midterm elections aren't far away and we the people have the right to exercise our civic responsibility as citizens and to vote our true values, electing those candidates who disagree with socialism and want the liberty our Declaration of Independence declares and our constitution was written to secure; candidates who will take their oath of office seriously to protect and defend our constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic.

Our constitution offers liberty. Socialism offers dictatorship and bondage as past history has clearly shown.

Hillsdale College reveres our heritage and teaches this nation's constitution, Declaration of Independence and history, our inheritance as citizens of this country. They are offering their kindergarten through high school curriculum free of charge to private citizens, to teachers and to schools alike.

I have taken their quiz regarding our nation’s revolution and have downloaded their free copyrighted curriculum. You are encouraged to do so too if you are interested in refreshing your understanding or learning more about our heritage.

Go to HillsdaleforLiberty.com/July4Quiz take the quiz testing your knowledge of the American Revolution and download the curriculum they offer freely which Includes American Civics, American History and American Government and Politics.

Jim Bowles