Sunday, September 14, 2014
#1 - 9/14/'14
In the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson throws in an important word: "self-evident". The term had a blunt, strong, and demanding connotation. It basically meant that there was no need for an explanation on why the three truths were the necessities in human lives. Jefferson’s insightful list consisted of these statements; “all men are created equal”, “they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights”, and “among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”. However, the term “all men” did not apply to everyone. Behind the word hid the true definition, and it changed the meaning of the whole declaration. What Thomas Jefferson meant by “all men” was all white, affluent, 16 and/or older male. There were certain limits, and the document did not reach out to everyone. Therefore, any men who met the requirements were born equal. Next, some were not given the inalienable rights that God himself gave to his creation, his people. God was omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, and the powerless men took a wrong approach and chased away the rights that were promised to the people of other category. Finally, none of the pledge was presented to the “outcasts”. Under the restrictions, those particular people were not able to live their free life, or even be content for the rest of their lives. It is funny how all the men who were part of the declaration felt the same way about the three truths and the interpretation of “all men”. Moreover, it is amazing how selfish and inconsiderate these people were, that these men even defied the Divinity’s will to set everyone free.
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Daeho, your point is well-taken: the collective will of the first Continental Congress was not to create a universal freedom, but to invest a certain segment of American society with freedom. However, don't be too quick to paint all of the Congress members with the same brush: as we keep watching John Adams, keep an eye on the intensity of the debates between the men who are agonizing over the nature (and source) of liberty. Regarding the source:why might men like Jefferson suppose that the Creator did NOT in fact create "all men" quite equal?
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