‘All men are created equal’: America has lost its values. It’s time to go back to the founding text

Key Points:

• The 250th anniversary of America’s independence is marked by loud celebrations including fighter jet flyovers, Freedom Trucks, and an Indy car race, but notably, the Declaration of Independence has been largely absent from these festivities.
• The Declaration, authored primarily by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, remains a powerful symbol of equality, rights, and government accountability, despite its complex and sometimes contradictory language, especially regarding slavery and indigenous peoples.
• Throughout history, the Declaration has been interpreted and repurposed by diverse groups—from abolitionists and civil rights leaders to conservatives and far-right movements—each drawing on its themes to support varying political causes.
• Presidents like Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt emphasized the Declaration’s enduring relevance as a beacon for justice and equality, while modern political figures continue to invoke it in debates over citizenship, civil rights, and government power.
• The article urges a reflective Fourth of July that goes beyond spectacle to engage with the Declaration’s deeper meaning as a living document challenging tyranny and inspiring ongoing progress toward its founding ideals.