The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson. It set off a series of events that culminated in American sovereignty and the creation of a government for the people. Intentionally, he wrote the Declaration of Independence so that America's government would depend upon our civic participation.John Locke's idea that judges should be given up in order to receive impartial judicial systems which arbitrate for them is embedded in American foundation documents. Americans, for example, provide income revenue to allow us to drive on functioning roads. To live in safe communities, we must obey speed limits and not trespass.We have many freedoms and gifts in the United States that are a result of this exchange. But we often forget that it is an exchange.Americans are part of a contract between the government, the governed, and have certain responsibilities. These are three examples that we need to remember when celebrating Independence Day.1. It is important to stay up-to-date.Thomas Jefferson stated, "An educated citizenry is vital requisite for survival as a freedom-loving people." We can access information in the digital age with the click of a finger. However, we also have the ability to be lied to if we don't take the initiative and learn the facts.Jefferson said that we must be educated. Jefferson said that we should be informed about the past and present of our countries. This means reading about our past and understanding the workings of our government. Despite the fact that this information is readily available, many Americans don't read beyond the headlines. To stay informed and up-to-date about Washington's happenings, we must encourage one another to look beyond the headlines.2. We must vote and protect elections.While it is not an essential responsibility for citizens to vote in elections, many people are happy to ignore the issue of integrity of elections. Our democracy is built on free, fair, transparent, honest and transparent elections. If we lose respect for our electoral process, we will see the beginning of the unraveling of all systems that depend on it.We will lose our voice if we don't respect the fully functioning electoral system as a gatekeeper to our democracy.3. We must be grateful.John Adams sent his wife Abigail Adams a letter containing his hopes and predictions for future Independence Day celebrations. He wrote: It should be solemnized by pomp and parade with shews.He is saying, in other words: Celebrate America's birthday with all you have. Why? We should be thankful that this nation was created to uphold virtue and true freedom. Instead of thanking God for all the blessings that we have, we complain and burn flags about what we don't have.Eleanor Roosevelt stated, "With freedom comes responsibility."Enjoy Independence Day with your family and friends. It would be a good idea to remain informed, not get involved in politics in the defense of electoral integrity, and take a moment to appreciate and see how amazing our country really is.Do you have a comment about this article? Send us an email at [email protected] with your comments. We may publish them in our We Hear You section. Include the URL of the article or the headline, along with your name and the town/state.
