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IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America


When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve
the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the
powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature
and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind
requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

(Words in italics/ parentheses are mine,


others by, Thomas Jefferson, and we should
heed these words again, today)

We hold these truths to be self-evident,


(That is what they knew was true)
that all men are created equal,
(And they all knew this, too)
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable Rights,
(That Freedom, is for all people
and for what, a brave man, fights)
that among these are Life, Liberty
and the pursuit of Happiness.
(The citizens of our Nation
fought for, their rightful redress)
That to secure these rights,
(We will do what we must)
Governments are instituted among Men,
(A government, we can trust)
deriving their just powers
from the consent of the governed,
(It’s, we, the people who will rule
That’s not, what we have learned)
That whenever any Form of Government
(Think they rule the Land)
becomes destructive of these ends,
(We, the people, will take a stand)
it is the Right of the People
(What, our Constitution decrees)
to alter or to abolish it,
(Before, they bring us to our knees)
and to institute new Government,
(we can vote all of them out)
laying its foundation on such principles
(What our Country is about)
and organizing its powers in such form,
(To what the people will)
as to them shall seem most likely
(Duties, they must fulfill)
to effect their Safety and Happiness.
(So, we shall not regress)
Prudence, indeed, will dictate
(Be careful, what is changed!)
that Governments long established
(When needed, rearranged)
should not be changed

for light and transient causes;


(that our quest for our Rights
is not stemmed by wordy clauses)
never ends or pauses and accordingly
all experience hath shewn that mankind
(Is a species craving freedoms.
Of life on Earth, a unique kind)
are more disposed to suffer,
(Which, we have had our share)
while evils are sufferable
(But eased, when others care)
than to right themselves by abolishing
(Watch out, what you let go)
the forms to which they are accustomed.
(And the life we’ve grown to know)
But when a long train of abuses
(Seems lately, there’s been many!)
and usurpations, pursuing
(And the meanings, they convey)
invariably the same Object
evinces a design to reduce them
(They try to end those rights)
And try to change their idem)
under absolute Despotism,
(If that’s how the try to rule)
it is their right, it is their duty,
(To use the voter’s tool)
to throw off such Government,
(From this land of the free)
and to provide new Guards
for their future security.
Such has been the patient
sufferance of these Colonies;
(Before the time of statehood)
(They longed for freedom’s bounties)
and such is now the necessity
(The time for change was due)
which constrains them to alter
(A new Government, too)
their former Systems of Government.
The history of the present
(It was cruel and unjust)
King of Great Britain
(A man they could not trust)
is a history of repeated
(Time after time again)
injuries and usurpations,
(Constraining all free men)
all having in direct object
(Control by the Crown)
the establishment of
(to try to beat them down)
an absolute Tyranny over these States.
(But, we finally changed that King’s mandates.)

Del “Abe” Jones


06.28.2008

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