Nice summary from Cato on the two documents that define our country.
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.
It's interesting that the Declaration includes the phrase "...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."
ReplyDeleteI'm in the process of becoming a naturalized citizen, in which the government asks lots of interesting questions. One such question (Form N-400, Part 10, Question 10) reads "Have you ever advocated (either directly or indirectly) the overthrow of any government by force or violence?"
So the Declaration provides the right to overthrow government when necessary, yet I suspect that answering this question in the affirmative would disqualify me from citizenship. It must be the violence piece they object to...