a silver lining in a red, white, & blue cloud

here's something to think about on independence day:

the second paragraph, arguably the most well-known passage in the u.s. declaration of independence, states "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." (ironically, i learned this passage from listening to dr. martin luther king's legendary 1963 speech.)

even in the midst of dissatisfaction with the state of the nation and battling across the political spectrum for the soul of the nation, i'm encouraged by the thought that with nearly every generation over the past 229 years, we've inched closer to the incredible vision of a nation set forth by the "founding fathers."

yes, it was a room full of wealthy, white men who conceived, wrote, and ratified the document. yes, we've had horrible missteps - plessy v. ferguson, jim crow, the 18th amendment, the 2000 election, etc. nevertheless, i hope that those of us who believe in equality and progress will keep pushing this nation forward to fulfill the promise outlined in 1776, especially because this same document asserts 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."