Not Just a Right, but a Duty

Duty is a word that conveys a sense of moral commitment to someone or something.

“Whenever government becomes destructive to life, liberty, or property [i.e., the pursuit of happiness], it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it… It is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.”

From this statement, not only do we learn that we have the option to throw off a government that becomes destructive to our life, liberty, or property; but it further indicates that we have a duty – or a moral commitment to do so.  That is very strong language.  So who made this bold statement?  Was it a radical conservative talk show host?  No.  Was it one of the founders of our country?  No; actually it was fifty-six of them.  This statement is a direct quote pulled from the most important document in the United States’ history – The Declaration of Independence.  There were fifty-six signers of the document which contains this statement; and among them were John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson – just to name a few.

Unlike today’s politicians, who sign documents without even reading them; these men truly believed each and every statement put forth in the document before signing it.  By signing this document, they were placing their seal of approval on it.  These men where men of their word; and they were men of honor.  They did not sign this document without careful study of its contents.

Fellow Texans; the Declaration of Independence grants us the right, and indeed the moral duty to abolish any government that becomes destructive to ANY ONE of these three: life, liberty, or property.  The United States government as it is right now is destructive; not just toward any one of these; but toward ALL THREE.  We have been slack for too long already.  It is our right, it is our duty, to throw off this destructive government.