In 1776, the colonists had had enough. For years, the leaders of the colonies, many of whom went on to become the Founding Fathers of the United States, had been pushing King George III and his government in England to allow the colonies more autonomy. Most of these colonist leaders wanted America to remain part of the British empire. They enjoyed their association with Great Britain and the King, including having British troops to protect the colonies. But they didn’t always like the way the King and his government treated the colonists, especially when those same British troops were used against the very colonists they were supposed to protect.
By July 4, 1776, the leaders came to the conclusion that the bond between America and the King had been stretched beyond the breaking point. It was on that date that representatives from each of the thirteen colonies issued the Declaration of Independence, separating the United States from Great Britain.
Most of us know the first paragraph or two of the Declaration. In particular, the first line of the second paragraph is learned by most children in the United States by the time they reach high school. That passage reads:
“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.”
What you may not know, or might not remember, is the Declaration of Independence includes a list of grievances against the King and his government. These grievances were listed to make it clear why the colonists were rebelling against the King and declaring their independence from Great Britain.
I won’t list all the grievances here, but there are several I’d like to focus on. The relevant portion of the Declaration of Independence reads:
“The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
“He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
“He has obstructed the Administration of Justice.
“For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
“For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
“For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
“For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:”
As I read over these grievances, I was amazed that the exact same things can be said about Donald Trump. He has refused to abide by the law, he has damaged or destroyed relationships with our trading partners, he has imposed the largest tax increase in the history of our nation without the consent of the people by issuing outrageous tariffs, he has deprived people subject to the laws of the United States (citizens and non-citizens alike) due process of law, and he has sent both legal and illegal immigrants out of the country (“beyond Seas”) in an effort to usurp the rule of law. In the same way our Founding Fathers viewed the King, we now view Donald Trump. He has become an absolute tyrant.
It has never been clearer to me that those of us who resist Donald Trump’s attacks on our democracy are the true heirs to the work first done by our Founding Fathers and the revolutionaries who fought for our freedom nearly 250 years ago. We are the spiritual descendants of those who signed the Declaration of Independence, and the defenders of the Constitution. While it is frustrating that not all Americans can see clearly what Trump is doing to the nation, it is important that we continue the work of keeping the United States strong, free, and committed to the rule of law.
Our democracy does not survive without the effort of true patriots. As author and political pundit Tom Nichols said, “Democracy is an act of will, it’s a choice. It doesn’t just happen. You have to expend actual energy to sustain democracy.”
So, keep battling. Continue to fight the good fight. Our democracy and the future of this nation hangs in the balance.
