Would the Declaration make it through Congress today?

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

I’m sorry but I just can’t help wondering if a document like the Declaration of Independence could ever make it through Congress today?

To be honest with you, I have a feeling we’d still be under the British Crown if it were up to our Congress to adopt such a declaration. Why? Because it’s not politically correct andyou’d never get the Republicans and the Democrats to agree on its wording or content. And beside that, by the time Congress got done with it, it would probably be a thousand pages or more in length with enough unclear language and loopholes to allow the entire occupying British Army to be exempted from its stipulations.

First of all, it mentions “God,” and that would most definitely be counted today as a violation of “the separation of church and state.” It even speaks of God as man’s “Creator.” We won’t let this be taught in our public schools, so how could we ever let it be recorded for all time in a public document? And at its close, it mentions “Divine providence.” How could that be tolerated in a government statement?

While they’re changing things, what about those “inalienable rights”? Without God as our Creator, what rights really are inalienable? Perhaps thedeclaration could say that society has pretty much agreed that people should have certain governmentgiven rights: namely, life (as long as a person is not aborted and killed prior to birth and still remains useful to society in old age), liberty (provided, of course, you obey all the laws, regulations and ordinances of federal, state and local governments and apply for and receive all the proper permits before you exercise any liberties you may or may not have), and the pursuit of happiness (but only after all your taxes are paid in full)?

What about the abuses?Would Congress see anything wrong with today’s high taxes, trade restrictions, government regulations over everything, worthless fiat money, large standing armies both here and all over the world, violations of constitutional rights (for the public good, of course) and trampling over any attempts to restore constitutional government?

If Congress could ever agree on a watered-down version, how many would, or even could, pledge their lives, fortunes and sacred honor? How many even have or value sacred honor anymore?

Should our Congress adopt a declaration of independence, would it survive a likely presidential veto?

And if it did, there remains the question of who would be able to fight to defend any freedoms since so many in our own Congress are hard at work trying to strip away the rights of American citizens to keep and bear arms?

This leads me to wonder whether we've also lost the American spirit?

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be reached by e-mail at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 6 on 06/29/2011