Further Thoughts On The American Dream In An Election Year

Martin Luther King, Jr’s dream was – and is – the American Dream. And the roots of the American Dream can be found in the epic document that is the Declaration of Independence. If ever there was a work that had a profound cultural impact, the Declaration of Independence would be that work.

It amazes me how little people know – or perhaps even care – about the Declaration Of Independence or the Constitution. Unfortunately, many politicians use these important words out of context in order to get a good sound bite to gain a vote or two or 10,000.

With rights come responsibilities, and that has a direct impact on government and its ability to represent the people of this country effectively. The State Of The Union as we know it right now is simple: Democrats and Republicans alike are refusing to solve the problems of the people and the union, putting greater emphasis on their deeply-held beliefs about party politics and the economic impact with special interest groups.

The most memorable part of the Declaration Of Independence is undoubtedly this:

“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”

But perhaps more importantly is the text that immediately follows this, the words that put this into context:

“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.”

The rights of the people come with the responsibilities of the people. Governments are instituted to secure these unalienable rights. When government doesn’t do so, it is not just the right of the people to change it: it is their responsibility as well.

I often wonder if those politicians that bandy about the phrase “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” or “the American Dream” really comprehend the context in which they were written. These phrases are integral to every American’s daily life. Every American citizen has the responsibility of ensuring that the government does not become “destructive of these ends”, preventing the attainment of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But since 1988, the average percentage of eligible voters that actually vote in the US election is about 53%. There are a lot of citizens that are refusing to contribute to the process. As they say, if you do what you’ve done (or haven’t done), you will get what you’ve got.

Photo credits: futureatlas.com