Independence Day

By Tammy Derouin

Happy Independence Day! The United States of America was established 242 years ago today. Fifty-six brave men signed their names to the Declaration of Independence, severing ties and absolving allegiance from the British Crown.

The desire for independence had been brewing for some time. The famous Shot Heard Around the World, the Battle of Lexington and Concord, took place on April 19, 1775, well over a year prior to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.


I have a picture of the Battle of Lexington hanging in my living room. It serves as a constant reminder of how blessed we are to be free. Whether I'm facing some of life's normal daily challenges or larger threats of injustice, which we all occasionally face at some point, The Battle of Lexington has become a symbol; that which is worth having is worth fighting for and defending.

There will always be outside forces which will attempt to make life difficult or which will try to encroach or impede upon your rights to life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness. Man will be man. History is full of examples where man finds it necessary to control the lives of others. Millions have died under such tyrannical rule. Freedom is always the desired goal. We live in a country where freedom and individual rights are recognized. Why would we want to give that up?

Man will try to deceive you into thinking that government should determine your rights. The problem with that is, if we begin to believe or demand that the government is the giver of rights, not God, then government can also take them away. If rights are determined by the powers that be, we have shifted ourselves in full reverse, heading backwards in time and right back into enslavement.

The battle for freedom and independence has already been fought and won. It is our responsibility to maintain our freedom. In order to do that, we have to understand the liberating documents of our founding. We should not get distracted by the rhetoric of outside forces which wish to destroy freedom and liberty. Such forces will do everything they can to convince you that it is the government's responsibility to provide for you. They will also try to convince you that your rights could actually be harmful and must be restricted and controlled. Those who wish to control you will make enslavement look like paradise. Once freedom is gone it is difficult to regain and may be lost forever.

In the picture of The Battle of Lexington, the well-trained British soldiers are advancing on a small group of American soldiers. Several Americans have fallen but the determination on the faces of those left standing is undeniable. They are standing against tyranny despite the odds and they are paving the way towards a document which would officially begin the war for our independence.

The Declaration of Independence explains in detail, why it became necessary to sever ties with the British Crown. Before listing their grievances to the world, the signers declared their beliefs. “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 a daring statement within a bold and liberating document.
The Declaration of Independence states, “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.” The many grievances are then listed.

Many times I have wondered what the mood may have been like once the last statesmen signed his name to the Declaration of Independence. Did the bold cries for independence slowly shift to a more somber atmosphere, as more signatures were gathered? Did a hush fall across the room as eyes met in certain understanding of what just too place? Signing such a document meant certain death if captured by the British. As the signing representatives of the United States of America, they “...Publish and Declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right out to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown,...”

The War of Independence has already been fought and won. The sacrifices for our independence, by those who came before us, are great. Many laid down their lives so that we would be free. They fought the war, we must preserve our freedom.

“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

The Declaration of Independence