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.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence (1776)
From our start as nation, America has embraced values which set it apart from others. We would argue that pursuit of these values enabled the United States to become the “shining city on a hill” in which Ronald Regan called back to John Winthrop’s quote of Matthew 5:14. Our values have been a beacon of welcome to immigrants from around the world, who come to America with empty pockets and hearts full of hope.
“…all men are created equal…” In America, whether you are born in a humble double-wide, raised in the high rises of a city ghetto, or delivered in a suburban hospital, you are equal. You have equal opportunity to attend school, you are treated equally under the law, and you can pursue the same economic opportunities as anyone else. In America, when one person, or a subset of people, is treated unequally, that is us failing to pursue our values, it is not America being systemically oppressive.
“…they are endowed by their Creator with with certain unalienable Rights…” In America, people have unalienable Rights. We don’t use unalienable much in modern English, so it simply means that we cannot be alienated –or separated– from those rights we have because we are human (the reference to “their Creator” is to the Genesis story of God creating man and woman in his own image, the imago Dei, and humanity having an elevated position above the rest of creation). The rights we have as humans exist before the creation or establishment of government and therefore cannot be granted by the government.
“…That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men…” Government is created to secure our unalienable rights. The proper use of government power is to protect the rights of the governed. When governments take away the people’s rights in the name of “safety,” then it is no longer serving it proper purpose.
“…[Governments] deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…” American values place the authority of government under the approval of the people. By having regular elections for representatives, America offers the people the opportunity to chose (and consent) to the direction of government until the next election. When election processes are not transparent, trust and consent is eroded.
Before America reaches the point of attempting to alter or abolish our current form of government, we believe it is imperative that we elect people who believe in these values for our nation and for our state. Illinois needs reform from Cook County, to the Statehouse, to St. Clair County. We must start with putting our own house in order before we can attempt to make changes state-wide.
If you want to elect candidates in Illinois who love American Values as much as you, please consider a recurring donation of $10/month.