By David R. Young, author of The Political Spectrum: Freedom vs. Enslavement
Did We Go Off The Rails?
At 33 years of age, Thomas Jefferson penned the most important document in American history, the Declaration of Independence.
Within this document lies the foundation for an ideal society — a free society.
Though we have, as a country, been a great force for freedom, within our boarders there is an ever increasing decay of freedom. Our government continues to grow beyond the scope of the Constitution and it appears sometimes to be a monster unleashed from the Constitution.
What is missing in the American People which continues to sleep while Jefferson’s dream fades away? There appears to be an aspect of the Declaration of Independence which has never been developed, or if developed, it has never taken root in our society. It seems to start with this famous line:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,…”
This phrase is often misinterpreted.
If one were to view man as a material thing, a product of the physical universe, as does some philosophies (Materialism) and political systems (Communism) the following definition fits their idea of equal:
“Being the same in quantity, size, degree, or value.”
This definition may work fine when expressing the equality of material things, but when forced upon human beings it is irrelevant, impractical and in fact destructive. No two humans are equal in body, mind or urge. It is irrational to say so and destructive to insist on it.
A rational use of “equality” applied to man would have to be further qualified. In what way are humans equal? What did Jefferson mean when he said all men were created equal? He actually answered this question in the next phrase: (more…)