It's time for Revolution 2.0

233 years ago representatives of our thirteen original colonies declared independence from Great Britain. They did this reluctantly, as many of them had strong allegiance to the British crown, but a person can endure only so much unfairness and restrictions on his liberty. On this day, I encourage all of you to carefully read that Declaration of Independence, as it is perhaps even more prescient in current times. Consider the opening sentence:

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

To paraphrase (much less eloquently): When people find their government violating their basic rights, it is their duty to separate from that government.

Continuing:

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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Simpler: It is natural to expect that all people deserve the right to live freely and happily. To protect these goals, people form goverments to protect their ability to pursue them. If that government ever fails to protect our rights or even takes them away, it is the people's right to end the government and to start a new one. Abolishing the government should not be done lightly and yet if there is a pattern of repeated abuses by government, it is the people's right and duty to do so.

Since our form of government was officially formed in 1787, our rights have been eroded, at first gradually, and more recently, very quickly and egregiously. It can be successfully argued that we are less free today than were the signers of the Declaration.

How can we be part of a new revolution? For one, we can stop voting for the same ineffective and corrupt leaders. We need representatives that truly understand their oaths to protect the Constitution rather than ones who bow to their own greed and quest for power.

We can stand up for our rights. Don't consent to illegal searches. Don't pay illegal taxes. Don't obey unconstitutional laws (there are many).

Join the Free State Project, a group of liberty-minded people who have agreed to move to a single state (New Hampshire) in hopes of making it a place that preserves personal liberties.

Remember it is our right, no our duty, to reform or abolish our government when it has become counterproductive to protecting our basic liberties.