The issues facing that generation were far more momentous than our current political issues. And the various sources of division were no less heated. The ability of these individuals to find ways around their differences and to create the foundation for what would be come the greatest nation on the face of the earth is more than a little remarkable.
Let's examine the most well-known passage of the Declaration:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident..." - Truths, not ideas, or principles, or concepts. Truths. Unassailable, unfaltering, unchanged by time or circumstance. And they are so true as to be obvious. They don't need to be discovered. They are not hidden.
"...that all men are created equal..." - Not equal in possessions or ability. The notion that men are or could be rendered absolutely equal is contrary to reality. But we are equal in the rights we possess. How we utilize those rights, what we become as a result of them, is dependent on us as individuals. But we all have them.
"...that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights..." - Some will have an issue with the notion expressed here that the source of these rights are from a higher power. While I personally believe this, let's avoid the spiritual discussion for now and focus on the political consequences of the idea that these rights are not the creation of governments or civil law, nor are they merely man-made constructs. Their existence predates government and supersedes civil authority. More importantly, they are as much a part of each individual as their eyes, nose, hair, or limbs.
"...that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..." - The three basic rights from which all others spring.
"...That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." - The purpose of government is to protect the rights we possess. And legitimate forms of government recognize and respect that they are the property of the people, not vice versa.
"...that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government..." - When government no longer protects these rights, we have the right (in another passage the Declaration states we have a "duty") to change it.
The value and relevance of this document is seen the the inspiration it has been for people not only in our country, but across the world. Peoples all over the globe have quoted it as the source for their own fight for liberty. That the principles in this document are not fully recognized here or in other nations is a reality we must contend with. But the great history of our country is the continuous progress we have made towards extending the ideal to more and more people.
Side note: If you haven't seen the mini-series John Adams (based on the book of the same name), I highly recommend it. You'll learn a lot about the process that lead to the creation of the Declaration of Independence, as well as the struggle for American Independence.
