The famous second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence opens by announcing this earth-shattering first principle: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” Our nation is obsessing over what that exactly means. Today’s culture wars are hampering our ability to focus on much of anything else other than sharp divisions over equity, inclusion, diversity, BLM, CRT, pronouns, and similar raging fronts. Likewise, a parallel fight about the meaning of the unalienable right of life is gripping the nation in our abortion wars.
In the background of these heated debates lurks another of the Declaration’s critical first principles that gets somewhat less attention today: that men are “endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights,” among them being “Liberty.” As Americans, we too often take for granted the blessings of liberty. We too often presume that because we are free, we will always remain so.
We hold this conceited presumption at our peril. Without understanding how our present is anchored to the past, we can easily go adrift and be wrecked in today’s storms. Patrick Henry reflected, “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past.” It’s time to heed this counsel.
