A Resolution of Independence
On July 2nd, 1776 the Continental
Congress passed a resolution of independence and tasked a Committee
of Five, lead by Thomas Jefferson, with drafting a document to formally
declare independence from the British Monarchy. On July 4th, 1776 the
Declaration of Independence was approved and signed by the Continental
Congress, which is the reason that we celebrate Independence Day on July 4th.
The Declaration of Independence listed
27 grievances against King George III and it asserted in its preamble, “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.” This was the first time in
the history of the world that citizens declared that Rights were granted not
from the government or the king, but were granted from God.
Today, the rights our Founding Fathers
seized from the British are constantly under siege from another encroaching
government that looks to tax and regulate us more and more every day - our
own!
In my time in Sacramento, California, I’ve
continually had to fight the desire of many to grow government at the expense
of the taxpayers and our liberties. Freedom is a gift we must treasure
and protect, and the legacy that we must preserve for future generations.
As Enlightenment Philosopher Jean-Jacques
Rousseau once said, "We may acquire liberty, but it is never recovered if
it is once lost."
So, while we celebrate today with our
families and attend BBQ’s, parades or firework shows, please remember the
historical context of today. Remember, that 240 years ago our Founding
Fathers stood up against tyranny and declared their independence because they
believed that no government should be able to violate our human right to freedom.
It is an honor to represent you.
JAY OBERNOLTE
Assemblyman, 33rd District