Introduction:
It's time to really read the Constitution and think about what is written, what it means, and how, or if, it can protect us from the government, as was its intent. I do not have any formal education in law, and so I am embarking on this journey as a lay person. My interpretations may be wrong, or right... they are solely mine, informed by decades of reading, thought, and experience. I will not be seeking "expert" interpretation at this time, but rather thinking for myself. (I know! Right?)
The method for this undertaking will be as follows:
- Read the historical document.
- Enter the exact verbiage in the blog post. This will be italicized
- Think deeply about what is written.
- Blog the thought process.
- Keep thinking.
When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
This is the political version of one political entity, whether it be country, state, city, or municipality, declaring that they want a divorce from another larger or soverign body, and will give the reasons for this decision.
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, __ 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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right theselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their dutey, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. __ Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history o repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the estabishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
Keeping with the divorce analogy throughout this review, this section is a victim , or oppressed party exposing the totalitarian actions of severe, sustained abuse, for which the abused will no longer stand. Indeed, the abused acknowledges that they willingly put up with abuse because they accepted that it is easier to suffer than to stand and change for one's own good: Certainty vs. Unknown. But one can take only so much, for so long, and then the boundary must be made clear, the abuse shall be made to cease, and separation becomes inevitable. This part to me, is the abused stating that they are giving themselves permission to take their power back. In order to complete the process, the abuse will be factually named, and described.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
Not agreeing to necessary rules to maintain the wellbeing of the abused.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
Not allowing anyone else to make important rules in their absense, until and if the abuser agrees, which allows them to put off their agreement indefinitely.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
Requiring others to submit to the same abuse, and foreiting their right to speak in their own defense and for their own self-governing. The exercise of absolute power over everyone.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
Making one travel to difficult locations, far from the protections of home, in order to even think of giving the abused a voice in their own life.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
Disallowing any chosen outsider to speak or firmly defend, on behalf of the abused.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
Appointed his own crony representatives, who may not be thrown out, who support the abuse perpetrated on the victim, thus allowing others to abuse, while the victim writhes in pain.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws of Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriation of Lands.
Will not allow new people into the home or expand the neighborhood.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
Will not agree to rules of others, or the judgement of self-determined rules.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
All judges must agree with the abuser, and the abused must pay for their agreement.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out of their substance.
Strangers of the abusers choice, in large numbers, are sent to abuse the victim, who is forced to care for these strangers.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
There are always thugs watching, waiting to attack, should the victim step out of line.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
A police state is declared. The abused is lorded over completely.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
Has given outsiders fake power to impose arbitrary rules.
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
Keeps the area surrounded with military might.
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
Allows his army impunity to kill.
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
Victims may not shop, or trade goods and services with any outsiders.
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
The victim will pay what they earn, no matter their protestations.
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
No one other than the abuser, or his appointed subjects, shall make judgements about supposed indescretions of the abused.
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
Victims may be sent to other locations, and have outsiders judge them for their behaviors.
For aboloshing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging the Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
The abuser expands authority outside to the community at large, and beyond, to other communities.
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most aluable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
To remove agency from the victim.
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
Declares and maintains absolute authority by not recognizing the humanity, or self-determination of the victim.
He has abdicated Government here, by delcaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
May attack at will, for the abuser cares not for the agency of the abused.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt down our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
Will destroy property, and quality of life within.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
Inhumanely, seeks out other abusers to join in the abuse.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on high Seas to bear Arms agaist their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
Imprisoned those who might aid the victim, or caused them to participate in the abuse, or die themselves.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
Has gotten cruel neighbors to commit attrocities against the abused.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
The victim has begged, and pleaded for the abuse to stop, to no avail. So now they are being exposed for what they are: a Tyrant.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiece in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
Pleadngs were also made to those in alliance with the Tyrant, hoping to convince them to change their ways, lest they bear the brunt of retaliation against them. As long as one stands with the ways of the tyrant, they too shall be called an abuser, and also feel the sting of retaliation. Those who disavow the tyranny shall be made friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies re, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all the other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
The line in the sand has been drawn and the abused has claimed power; is victim no more, but instead stands firm, and wages war against the oppressor. Those who uphold the rights and freedom of the abused stand with, and pledge all they have, to end the destructive cycle of abuse.
What a beautiful piece of writing the Declaration is, to this day! The analogy of spousal abuse seemed a relatable way to make plain, the abuses of government over the people, by creating a microcosmic example of a much larger system.
I would also say that the transgressions of our own government in the present day are approaching the tyrannies that are listed in this document. This frightens me, as the last thing this world needs is another revolution in America.
