Yesterday, Julia Shaw's blog post at Heritage.org spoke with eloquence about America's enduring principles. I'd like to share an excerpt from that article here:
"America was born on July 4, 1776, with the passage of the Declaration of Independence. Today, as we celebrate our great country 235 years later, we reflect upon its meaning.
"The Declaration announced to the world that the American colonies were free and independent states. But this alone does not make the document or America revolutionary. What is revolutionary about the Declaration is not that a particular group of Americans declared their independence under particular circumstances but that they did so by appealing to a universal standard of justice....
What is revolutionary about America is that it is built upon a foundation of universal principles....
"This is the core of American exceptionalism. As Matthew Spalding explains:
'America is an exceptional nation, but not because of what it has achieved or accomplished. America is exceptional because, unlike any other nation, it is dedicated to the principles of human liberty, grounded on the truths that all men are created equal and endowed with equal rights.'
"All countries celebrate something that is theirs: The French celebrate Bastille Day, Canada has Canada Day, and Spain honors Christopher Columbus. But only America celebrates a set of principles that apply to all men.
"The Declaration of Independence serves as a philosophical statement of America’s first principles. Just read the second paragraph. It affirms that all men are equal by nature and therefore have certain inalienable rights. Government is not in the business of granting rights, making everyone alike, or ensuring that everyone is happy. Operating by the consent of the governed, government has as its purpose to secure liberty and allow individuals to govern themselves...."
To read more, click here...
