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Arts & Entertainment

Declaration of Independence is America's Masterpiece

Reflections after listening to nation's founding document read aloud.

Have you ever listened to the Declaration of Independence read aloud? Not many realize that Thomas Jefferson meant for it to be spoken in proud tones from pulpits and in town squares throughout the colonies.

There is a growing Fourth of July tradition to watch the Declaration be performed live or on YouTube. When one hears the Declaration of Independence read aloud, one is struck by the beauty of the words, by the eloquence of the argument, by the genius of the ideas.

It is impossible not to be inspired by them as if those words were being spoken for the first time ever.

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The ideas set forth in the Declaration of Independence were not new. They had been percolating throughout Europe since the Enlightenment. Rousseau, Locke and other social philosophers all helped shape them. Thomas Jefferson took these ideas and formed them into one document, spelling out the duties of governments and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.

What are these ideas? That governments get their power from those they govern. That when a government violates its power it is not just the right of citizens to overthrow it; it is their duty. That all men are created equal.

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At that time ''men'' meant white male property owners. Over time that word 'men' has expanded and become more and more inclusive. 

''Equal'' does not mean exactly alike. Nor does it mean everything is fair. It does mean that everyone has an equal chance. It means that everyone is equal under the law. Like the word ''men'', ''equal'' did truly describe the circumstances of all the people in the colonies.

Actor Morgan Freeman said in prologue to a performance of the Declaration, said, “The real glory of the Declaration of Independence has been our nation's epic struggle through its history to close the gap between the ideals of this remarkable document and the sometimes painful realities of American life.

"The Declaration of Independence symbolizes the birth of our nation, of course, but also the constant struggle to achieve its ideals.”

These are the ideals upon which we have built our whole country. They have never been achieved but they are what we all strive toward. We often disagree about the best way to achieve them.

Sometimes, perhaps often, our energies are misdirected. We get distracted by conflicting messages like ''White Man's Burden,'' ''Manifest Destiny,'' ''Red Menace,'' ''Normalcy,'' ''Turn On - Tune In - Drop Out,'' ''Consumerism. But we always get back on track. We refocus on our central ideal – equality. We see anew the idea that has lit the world from the Bastille to Tiananmen Square.

That bright light is America's Masterpiece. Articulated by Thomas Jefferson and served by all Americans to the best of their ability ever since. The men and women of the military serve it but so do ordinary people.

The police and firefighters serve it by preserving order and keeping people safe. Teachers serve it by every day finding new ways to get students excited about learning. Librarians serve it by preserving knowledge and ensuring that anyone who wants that knowledge can get it for free.

The commuter who helps a mom get her stroller on the bus serves it too. So does the business owner who gives an ex-convict a chance by giving him a job. And the homeowner who welcomes a new family to the neighborhood, even though they may look and sound a little different.

Young people serve it, as well, by standing up to a bully or reaching out to a younger kid who needs help. Everyone does their part every day to make the light shine brighter.

We are all responsible for making this country the land of opportunity, the land of equality, the land of the Free. America's Masterpiece is a work in progress and we are all its artists.

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