The Declaration of Independence reveals the American paradox: Blog 7

The United States concluded our Independence Day celebration,  so I thought I would share my views regarding an article titled “The Declaration of Independence reveals the American paradox”; written by Michael Gerson , an opinionated writer for the Washington Post. The purpose of  "Independence Day" is to celebrate the United States Declaration of Independence; which was written to “justified the independence of the United States by listing colonial grievances against King George III, and by asserting certain natural and legal rights, including a right of revolution.” The document also served as proof as well as a formal explanation as to why Congress voted to become an independent nation after the American Revolutionary War, July 2, 1776;  although the document was not signed until July 4th.

Gerson stated, “Americans do not merely love a set of philosophic abstractions; they love a concrete nation, with an identity that is under siege. An Anglo-Protestant heritage of law, religion and culture are threatened by a variety of forces, within and without multiculturalism, illegal immigration and politically correct leaders who refuse to even name our enemies.” And goes on to state: “It is a paradox that those who want to emphasize the uniqueness and particularity of American culture — rooted in a specific ethnic and religious background — are adopting the most typical form of nationalism.” I couldn’t agree more.

Our nation’s ignorance is quite impenetrable. We were (is) a nation that imprisons thousands among thousands of slaves of all races. From slaves on a plantation; to becoming enslaved in our prisons. But yet the Declaration of Independence was written in order for this “great nation” to become free of King George’s reign. Our Congress even went as far as to create and tweaked the Chinese Exclusion Act, which implemented immigration rules by race and to some extent by religion. Again, it’s ironic.

Bottom line - Abraham Lincoln used the declaration as the core of his speech-making and policies in which were made known in Gettysburg Address speech in 1863. One of Lincoln’s most famous statements: “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.” Until we as Americans truly understand  “WHY” Lincoln's speech was so important to ALL AMERICANS, there will always be a paradox.