Happy 4th of July. And welcome to the start of the re-independence of America. I am happy to say we will be at Valley Forge National Park today, for a community picnic. Last Year “Thomas Jefferson” was there and read the Declaration of Independence. This year, I want to remind everyone just what that document says (you can read the full text here):
“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.
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…”
The way I see it,”small government, less taxes” isn’t just an ideological statement, it’s a warning. One we had all best heed. The GOP is now a “form of government” that has become “destructive of these ends”. How do we thrive, how are our “unalienable Rights” protected by defunding education, cutting funds for health and welfare and deconstructing environmental protections? How does this help us achieve “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”?
I don’t believe the GOP has any concern for our rights, and that is why we are seeing people across the nation come together to discuss the “Right of the People to alter” our government. So many groups have popped up in the last year. Since September 17th, when Zutcotti Park was Occupied, we have seen dozens of groups pop up. Some, like Occupy, have done real good. Others, like the ill-named unitewomen.org, have done more harm than good. But we have seen groups calling for Constitutional Amendments, groups working on a Petition for Redress of Grievances and of course, my group, the National Women’s Party, calling for national strategy and collaboration with existing groups and looking to help educate and motivate citizens to become a citizen lobby and form grassroots community organizations, running local candidates for school boards and town/city councils. Because remember, our Founding Fathers were community organizers.
We are going to see the re-independence of America and I believe women are going to lead this charge, the Vagina-lution has begun. We are going to take back our government, our land, our schools, our money and our economy. Each one of us has an obligation, to be involved in government. We all hate going to meetings, and that is how our government has been infiltrated and taken over by extremists who have vowed to take away our rights.
Happy 4th of July my fellow citizens. Now finish that burger, drink that beer and tomorrow contact your local Democratic committee. Vow to work on a campaign. Volunteer, donate. We have many Senate and House seats we need to defend and more we need to win. We have seen what destruction the GOP is intent on causing. Defunding schools, defunding health care, taking funds from the ill, aged, our Veteran’s and children and giving it to corporate “persons” and the wealthiest 1% in the tax welfare scheme I like to call “millions for billionaires”. Enough, let’s start a revolution, the vagina-lution!
And get to the Strike for Women’s Equality on August 26th, better yet, contact 3WF-Third Wave Feminism and help to organize it!
