My favorite passage, and I know it by heart. It is engraved upon my free soul and spirit:

"...governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it...."

The Declaration of Independence must have hit the monarchs of this world with the proverbial ten tons of bricks. There is no doubt in my mind that some of those kings (and what have you) had sacred honor as well, but they did not grant freedom,
self-determination to the people.

And that is what the American Revolution was all about. There shall be governments,but they shall govern with the consent of the governed.

Wrapped up into three words WE THE PEOPLE

Gat busy! Politics is not a
four-letter-word. Those who would take away from
Liberty, Justice and the
Pursuit of Hapiness are very busy already.

My children grew up with the Declaration of Independence posted on the refrigerator every 4th of July. We had a large family and friends barbecue and it was shared with everyone. This is my favorite holiday -- it is a reminder of how fortunate we are to be free and living in the United States of America.

My favorite is the beginning, "We the people..." because that is what government should be.

Have a happy and safe holiday!

Thanks for printing this document again, can we expect to see the Patriot Act on the pages soon? I endorse Isabells sentiment of "altering or abolishing" the Liberty-haters who are "very busy indeed" taking away our Liberty, but it's daunting when the Patriot act has suspended the Constitution and nearly criminalized dissent. Who could forget the special "free speech cages" set up for "we the people" at the last Democratic party convention?... Harpers Index, July issue, reports; more than 16 million bucks is "raised" by Congress every day,...that's "free speech" at it's most effective decibel level and frankly, a political participation I cannot afford...my favorite heretofore unnoticed passages from the Constitution, protesting King George's Tyranny; "he has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance." ( D.H.S.?) "for taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuble laws and altering fundamentally the forms of our government," (patriot acts 1 and 2?)..."declaring themselves invested with the power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever" (presidential signing statements and executive orders?)..."large armies of mercenaries to complete the works of death" (Blackwater, haliburton?)..the founders weren't clairvoint, they had a historical understanding of tyranny and recognized the threat it poses to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, and ultimately the danger to Constitutional government itself. Our relationship to the Constitution is merely romantic nostalga,...she's a goner.

The constitution is under siege but not a goner. Patriots Act are made and can be unmade by the legislature. But the legislators must be overwhelmed by sheer numbers of voiced demand. And that is so darn easy these days because of communication being
quick, and most people have the various media at their disposal in their homes.

Americans have become complacent, and that provides the engine for those who wish to derail We the People. And it is still up to the people what is going to happen.

Even the Black Waters and Halliburton's of America can not go to the treasury and fill up their satchels with America's money. They get it because legislators made it possible. About half of the legislators change every two years. November is an opportunity to vote for good guys or make good guys out of bad guys if they want to be elected. But We the People must do it. The neo-cons and the money/power grabbing macaroni spines are not going to do it on their own volition.

Not even Hitler had to shoot into the people because the Germans were languishing under an unbearable peace treaty and were indifferent toward the young Weimar
Republic. Franco did not have it quite as easy with the people of Spain. Unfortunately the German Luftwaffe aided Franco. Question: How many of you at this moment are familiar with Guernica?

American education seems to encourage the myth that beyond the Statue of Liberty is the end of the world. And every foreign educated devotee of the concept We the People is shocked how little Americans do to preserve what they have. The French
do not sit still for such gross abuse of their liberty. Of course the French are almost demonic because they did not support America's war in Iraq.
Bottom line, I enjoyed America's golden period between the end of World War II and the coming of Ronald Reagan. If the generations after me are not interested in working for their own Golden Age of America, there is little that we the old ones
can do about it, other then use the franchise wisely.

'We the people'

Jim, it was a lovely way to start the big day and hat is off to you and the Fresno Bee for doing it.

MOI is going to frame the entire page and hang in office.

Having survived the 4th fireworks, frightened pets, and harboring my neighbor's "lost" dog for several hours, I realize "We the people" is NOT the Declaration of Independence but the preamble to the Constitution. I really do know the difference -- yesterday was a very long day probably for most of us with animals that are frightened of loud boom booms.

I love the Declaration Of Independence and what it stands for, and this country etc. But reading it as a bedtime story? Has anyone ever actually done this? If in fact my kids are on the edge of their beds riveted on it's every word, perhaps tomorrow night I'll read them the home mortgage contract.

Yea, lets educate the children on the Declaration of Independence.

Maybe some day they will fight to get our Country back, maybe then it will mean it says.

My daughter has just read and studied it this past year followed by a trip to see it in person so reading it to her was not necessary. As for We the people we have no voice since we can be overturned on what we vote for.

Yes Isabell, and shouldn't the children be taught about that shameful day at the the U.N., when the Picasso mural, depicting hell raining down on the civilians of Guernica, was draped, in dark irony, prior to Colin Powell's speech, a promise of the same barbaric slaughter of civilians on a more massive scale?

It's OK Kathy...you've written misleading things in the blog before and gotten away with it before. I just considered the source and chuckled.I'm still waiting to hear back from you and your boss to try to fix the mess you created.

It has been stated, correctly, that "We the People is NOT the
Declaration of Independence but the preamble to the Constitution."

Let's look at it closely...Declaration of Independence; preamble to
the Constitution, the Ten Amendments (Bill of Rights) et.al.; are
they not adding up to one thing in the end
SELFDETERMINATION

But people must work at it. It does not come as the prize in a box of breakfast cereal.

In the pre-computer but more friendly and less violent America, my 5 year old came home from Kindergarten, proclaiming that she knew the "pledge of legions" and about the one nation "invisible
under God." I did not correct the pretty little girl with those shining
eyes.

T.C. Morgan. I miss your posts. I may not share share your views, but I read them every time. And I am sure that some of us secular folk are ready to respond.........And where is the gentleman who decided that I was a "smart ass lady". In this electronic communication age we must keep connecting, lest we are exposed to getting isolated. Humans evolved to be a social lot. Diverse, individualistic; but nonetheless social.

Multitudes of lone wolves would be anathema to We the People.

Yes....I haven't seen TC in a while. I was expecting him (or is it her?) to chime in about Gavin Newsom running for Governor. I'll agree Isabel, I don't usually agree with anything he's (she's) posted but I'm still drawn out of interest.

A week or so ago I sat with someone during the course of my work day who was the polar opposite of my political views. We actually talked for a long time. I of course thought he was misinformed and just plain wrong most of the time, and I can't imagine him thinking that of me, but in the end, we found a few things we agreed on.

The BLOG is still here, therefore so am I.

Thank goodness that some of the stuff people vote for (in any given State) can be overturned. Thank goodness for the Supremacy Clause (Article 7 of U.S. Constitution.)

Whatever the people vote for must be constitutional. The voter does not always respect the rights of others. How would we feel if the voters would overwhelmingly approve that anyone in California named Jackie must change his/her name at a cost of $1,000 administrative fee????????????