I apologize in advance. Twenty+ years of teaching American History, Government, and Civics...it just kicks in sometimes.
I taught this every year in my Civics class. What I consider to be some of the most important - and often overlooked - lines in our founding document, the Declaration of Independence. We tend to focus on the obvious phrases, but often miss this part. It is, in my opinion, remarkable.
First this: "...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..."
And then: "...it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security..."
We look closely at these words, and come to the conclusion that it is our right to alter or abolish our government - and preferably we do so through peaceful means. Ideally, through the ballot. It is our "right and duty" to literally alter or to abolish our entire House of Reps every two years, a third of our Senate every two, and the entire executive branch every four years.
And then...that it is our right, and duty to throw off a government that does not serve our needs.
Incredible words. Remarkable power. Vested entirely in the people. And at the risk of being too political, if our government has become destructive to these ends (of serving the people), we must hold ourselves partly to blame for failing to alter it...by sending the same people back year after year, or by failing to cast a ballot in the first place. If I recall correctly, fewer than 40% of eligible voters cast a ballot in the last election.
Alter, or abolish.
I vote.
