"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." Have you heard these words before? They're from The Declaration of Independence.
Mr. Toastmaster, fellow Toastmasters, and most welcome guests, The Declaration of Independence is truly one of the most important documents ever written in America. It served to proclaim the separation of the American colonies from British rule. It was drafted in June of 1776 by Thomas Jefferson and presented to the second Continental Congress, where it was ratified in Philadelphia on the fourth of July, 1776, Independence Day. The document has four sections, the introduction, the Preamble, the main body, and the formal declaration. To me, the most interesting section is the Preamble. It has only a few sentences, but each one is very powerful.
"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 of abolish it, and to institute new governments, laying it's 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 shall not be changed for light or transient cause; and, accordingly, all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But, when a long chain 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 duty to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security."
It is beautifully written, but like any other 18th century writing, it deserves some explanation. Here is a very simple summary of a very complex document.
The Preamble begins by describing a set of things that are or at least should be obvious, that everyone is equal, that everyone should have the right to freely choose the way they live, that governments should be defined by the very people they govern, and that if a government goes sour, it should be changed. That being stated, the next part is a bit of a warning. Don't change a long-standing government because of what he calls "light or transient causes," simple disagreement should not be the grounds for major change. This is followed by what I believe to be the most important clause, which can even be applied to our modern life, "...mankind is more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustom." As humans, we tend to allow ourselves to suffer, rather than change the way we live, but only if the "evil" we suffer is bearable. For example, my next door neighbor got a new dog that barked constantly. All day. All night. I could have called the police and disrupted the harmony of our neighborhood, or I could have even moved away, but instead I chose to suffer with the noise and continue living in my beautiful home, in the way that I am accustom.
Next comes the crux of the preamble, "when a long train of abuses and userpations," that is to say terrible treatment and the suspension of rights which leads to "...reduce [the people] under absolute despotism," that is, "cruel and arbitrary use of power, " it is their right... [and] duty" to get rid of that oppressive government and create a new one.
After the Preamble comes the main body, which lists 27 "abuses and userpations" that the colonies were suffering, such as taxation without representation and the suspension of local government. In this case, the evil was insufferable and it led an entire nation to "abolish the forms to which they were accustomed." Finally, the last section is a message to the rest of the world, "We therefore solemnly publish and declare, that these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States...and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved." Now that's a declaration!!
Mr. Toastmaster.