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. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed–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, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

And what makes these so special? How about the idea that life is actually about achieving Happiness…not seeking to appease a god or monarch, or sacrificing your existence to this or that religion, but that life is to be lived for the purpose of achieving Happiness. And that it is only through liberty that these can be achieved. And even though this is so obvious a fact, people still delude themselves with ridiculous beliefs duties to the preposterous belief that life is only to have duty to others, and no other country I know of has adopted this ideal.

Further, while our present administration doesn’t quite get this (probably because I doubt The One’s ability to read anything but a teleprompter) government is formed only to protect these rights, not to give anything. As it says later in that blessed document : “we do in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies”–that is “of the people, and by the people”–it would take a man who had absolutely no respect for the Constitution and saw America only as land to add such evil and illogical shit as the concept that government is “for the people.” The government isn’t there for the people, only to protect their rights from being infringed upon by others…the Founders knew that, and while many have forgotten it, it is still an ideal of this country and always will be.

And the nice thing about ideals is that they have a very long shelf life. Just as the ideals of Athenian democracy (for all of it’s flaws) now rules much of the world, and will likely continue to spread even though Athens itself is no longer the center of the world; just as Roman republican values of law and infrastructure continue to essentially be a guiding light despite a rather well publicized fall of the Roman Empire; just as while the sun now sets daily on the British Empire, Britain still has left a permanent and wonderful mark on the world through the genius of British common law—so shall the United State forever be in charge. The ideals that formed the U.S. in an ungodly hot Philadelphia room in the summer of 1776 and were then refined over the course of the next two hundred years are not likely to die from the world. And that is only part of America that must be preserved at all costs. Whether the United States of America itself is top dog is unimportant, so long as the idea of it remains in charge the world over. Because it is that part that makes America great, not the economic power or the military might, not history, culture or even our process–those are only effects of that great idea, and as long as the idea remains powerful so shall America live forever.

And that is what makes America so special.

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