what are the main themes of the declaration of independence? what are the strengths and weaknesses of the document? why is it important to us as Americans today? does it have any importance? i feel like everyone should read it and have a basic understanding of it and its themes and its consequences. only me?
1. One of the key themes I find is
"consent of the governed"
To me that is the Spirit of the Constitution.
Intriguing that this is not literally in the Constitution or its Amendments, but spelled out in the Founding Documents.
Without "consent of the governed" the letter of the law can be twisted out of context and abused for oppression, corruption and tyranny by political conflicts of interest.
It's like the key to understanding the very nature of law and government with relation to human conscience and social development.
2. Two, the very process of penning collective grievances, petitioning and reforming govt is monumental and speaks for itself.
When people learn how much power we have as human beings, to be able to express our rights, laws and contracts collectively, and establish them by agreement, that is the very crux of what humanity is supposed to master in order to achieve lasting peace and justice.
That democratic process is what America is about, with freedom of speech, and of the press, and the right peaceably to assemble and to petition EACH OTHER for redressing grievances. We are the government. We share this collectively responsibility.
3. Lastly the connection in spirit between generations that shows the progression from where we were historically, with dependence on slavery, to where we are today trying to break away from the chains of the past.
Instead of tearing down this foundation for its flaws, we can use the enduring principles to build, reform and perfect the democratic process.
This part is yet to be written. We are shaping history as we speak. I see the state going through a similar "Reformation movement" that the church went through to overcome oppression by corrupted authority, by the people reclaiming the laws and ability to enforce and live by them directly. And now we are going through that process with reclaiming the Constitutional principles and rebuking govt run amok.
Again, we are writing history with the movements going on today, reforms demanded from both the left and the right. Where the key is to work in harmony, unison and agreement, and not in conflict with each other -- the checks and balances written in the Constitution are needed on all levels of the political process.
so we are taking this to the next level.