By OC Board Supervisor Lisa Bartlett
On July 4 each year, Americans around the country gather to celebrate Independence Day, a holiday that commemorates the adoption of one of the most important documents in our nation’s history—the Declaration of Independence.
It was on this day in 1776 that the Second Continental Congress announced the separation of 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain. However, the actual vote to declare independence from Great Britain took place two days earlier on July 2. In a letter to his wife, Abigail, John Adams proudly and jubilantly declared:
“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
The final wording of the Declaration of Independence wasn’t adopted until July 4, paving the way for our country to chart its own course for self-governance.
At that time, the people wanted a government that, in the words of John Adams, would “think, feel, reason, and act” like the people they governed, not unlike we do today. Some of the phrases of the declaration have consistently exerted profound influence in our country, especially the proclamation:
“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.”
Although the meanings of these phrases, together with conclusions drawn from them, have been endlessly debated over the years, the declaration has served to justify the extension of American political and social democracy.
When you look back to 1776, those all-inclusive statements weren’t necessarily “all-inclusive.” The sweeping statement that all men were created equal may have been true in the eyes of their Creator, but in the eyes of man, history shows us this was not the case.
The America of 1776 was vastly different from the America of 2020, yet the principles and teachings of the Declaration of Independence still guide us to this very day. Over the centuries, our country has strived and made tremendous progress in ensuring the phrase “all men are created equal” is far more inclusive now than it was back then. While much has been accomplished, many challenges and opportunities lie ahead.
As we rightfully celebrate the birth of our nation and the principles upon which our great country was founded, let us always remember that this joyous occasion would never have come to pass, if but for the sacrifices, courage and tremendous resolve of all those who came before us.
Lisa Bartlett sits on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, representing the 5th District. She was reelected in 2018.
Wow— That was a bunch of happy talk from Lisa…..yawn.
Yes the document was wonderful.
But of course we had a lot of pain to suffer in order to establish a more perfect union. Heck, at the time of the signing blacks (pre Dred Scott) were not even considered human by most of the founders.
Why do I bring this up at all? To be a sad sack? Hardly.
It’s because Lisa and her ilk are captivated by the GOP which for years now has become the home of racism, ignorance, and a breeding grounds for statesmen like Donald J Trump, the realtor. It’s still shocking that Lisa’s colleagues in the GOP still support America’s first traitor president at an 85% level. As I write this note, the GOP’s friend Vlad Putin has a bounty for USMC local legends in Afghanistan and Trump says and does nothing. Think of it— NOTHING.
THIS is what I’ll be thinking about on July 4th as I dodge the fully mismanaged virus in the world’s most infected Nation.
Thank a Republican today.
The American Constitution is the greatest secular document written by man and it is unfortunate that leftists persist in attacking said document.
Wow— That was a bunch of crappy talk from Bort…..yawn.
“Why do I bring this up at all?”
Because Bort and his ilk are the ones who disparage the country, burn, loot, destroy monuments and statues, and are the lemmings that follow a race baiting media and party (the treason party of Democrats) who project their racism onto those who disagree with their violent and divisive tactics.
As a reminder, it was the leftist Democrats who colluded with the Russians to make up dirt on candidate Trump (who then became President Trump) to justify their witch hunt. They then colluded with the FBI & DOJ to attempt a coup on a sitting President…without a scintilla of evidence.
It was creepy Joe Biden who used a billion $$ of our hard earned tax money to shake down the Ukraine and get the prosecutor who was going after the corrupt company Joe Biden’s son was a board member of, fired. Needless to say, once he was fired, the whole prosecution magically went away.
Speaking of mismanaged Wuhan China virus response, how about all those Democrat governors who sent the infected back into the nursing homes to infect the inhabitants and staff? At least 40% of the deaths in New York are attributed to this disgraceful practice yet leftist Democrats still support morons like Governor Cuomo who has blood on his hands.
This 4th of July I’ll try to focus on all the wonderful people in this nation and all the wonderful things this nation has done and for at least a day, ignore the treasonous and poisonous acts the left has engaged in in their efforts to remake America into a socialist dystopia.
Don’t thank a treasonous Democrat today.
Davey Davidson-
Wow.
Classic.
You need to read a bit more carefully.
My post and Lisa’s post had NOTHING to do with the Constitution.
It was the Dec Of Independence little buddy.
Oh golly, you don’t think they’re the same thing do ya?
You missed it by a mile amigo!
Of course the Constitution is great, gosh, we all know that.
I won’t respond to all of your fake news puff about Biden because I’m pretty sure you would miss that too! Good luck in November! I’m not rooting for the Traitor in the WH who is ok with Putin. You might want to try an adult reading course at Saddleback. Then we can chat!
Bort!
Leftist hate is dividing the country.
“You might want to try an adult reading course at Saddleback. Then we can chat!”
Hilarious! You can’t even copy my name down correctly and you’re complaining about reading comprehension? And what would we chat about, how leftists go out and riot, loot, and burn…what’s your excuse for that?
Are you unaware of the connection between our Declaration of Independence and the Constitution or hasn’t your comic book education informed you that the two are among our 4 founding documents and intimately connected…amiga.
“Of course the Constitution is great, gosh, we all know that.”
You must be excluding most of the rest of the leftist crowd since they trash our nation, military, law enforcement, flag, National Anthem, and Constitution at every opportunity. How are your buddies up there in CHOP doing?
Your excuse, “I won’t respond to all of your fake news puff about Biden because…”
Because you have nothing of substance to say, color me shocked. Regardless of who you root for, will you be rioting and vandalizing like much of the left when President Donald J. Trump is re-elected? And where is creepy Joe Biden anyway? Is his dementia so advanced that even leftists are embarrassed (as if his fondling children isn’t enough) at every gaff he makes?
The connection between the Dec of Independence and the Constitution? LOL You realize that the Declaration can’t be legally cited for ANY legal proposition, right?
Lisa and I were posting on the Dec and you respond about the Constitution? Oh my…….Leftist hate?
The flag
the Anthem
the cops
and on and on……..
wow……Ok, take a deep breath. You’ll be ok. Im not sure where you are going with leftist hate but it sure seems like you have a triggered hate thing going there your self!
Good luck with your impeached president!
Turn down the Hannity little buddy!
Leftists Democrats are even demonizing Mount Rushmore. They’ve already toppled a statue of George Washington, the Father of our country.
“Im not sure where you are going with leftist hate…”
You don’t know where you are going much less me. I tell you what, however, if you turn on or read the news, you’ll find that while you were asleep or marinating in Democrat propaganda espoused on the leftist media, leftists were attacking our monuments and statues including GW and Father Serra and were going after Teddy Roosevelt. Fortunately, concerned citizens came to the rescue. This was, of course, after they had looted and burned thousands of buildings and businesses around the country. The left has been protesting, rioting, vandalizing, looting, and burning since President Trump’s inauguration and they even rioted during his inauguration.
“…it sure seems like you have a triggered hate thing going there your self!”
Unintentional irony I suppose since the attacks, assaults, and hate are coming from the left, hence, your statement about Lisa Bartlett, “Lisa and her ilk”.
“Good luck with your impeached president!”
Yeah, the impeachment would go down in the annals of history as one of the most scurrilous, disgraceful acts by any Congress except that the current Congress is always trying to one-up their own disgraceful behavior.
“Turn down the Hannity little buddy!”
You would be well served to expand YOUR news sources beyond those that peddled the Mueller conspiracy hoax for 2+ years without a scintilla of evidence, slandered the Covington boys without doing ANY investigation, pushed the lie of “hands up, don’t shoot” which led to the assassination of at least 5 law enforcement officers, altered and edited responses by Trump officials such as Chuck Todd’s blunder on William Barr, and given the debate questions ahead of the debate to the chosen candidate of THAT news station.
Where is the coverage of Tara Reade and where is the outrage and investigations because you know, women are to be believed in the MeToo era (as with Bret Kavanaugh)? You know exactly because even you understand the Godzilla sized hypocrisy of the left and the leftist media’s protection of its chosen candidates.
And yeah, the flag, the Anthem, the cops, etc. etc. etc. Aren’t you embarrassed that the left attacks so many of America’s institutions? Where is your loyalty, your patriotism, your responsibility to our great Republic? Do you even care?
Actually Bort his GOP support is above 90% :-). Regarding the virus, aside from murderous Dem governors and their send the infected back to nursing homes policy, the tragedy of it is the (again) Dem governors locking us down and all the attendant ills that has brought about.
Lets all remember on this fourth how great our country is because of the founders who created a Constitutional Republic with a Constitution that has given us a country that is the envy of the world. Hopefully we can keep it.
God Bless
Davey Davisen —
You go girl!
Davey, I don’t read rants, I’m sorry I know you worked hard on it. I bet it was great.
I did skim it though! I hope that makes you feel the validation you crave.
Not much there but Tucker’s talking points……zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Have a blessed day of freedom! Watch out for the communists–they’re everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!
Boo!
Ross-
Thanks for your cogent response. I’m not sure you’ll get much traction with the Gov/murder thing.
It’s pretty much a federal no show on the pandemic. Are you a Fox TV guy? That might explain the murderous Gov notion. Aaaaanyway……..wow 90%! That’s great! The impeached president is your guy! I guess I’m hung up on his vulgarity, stupidity, 150 million dollars worth of taxpayer golfing trips, massive debt increases, feckless foreign policy, corruption, and now the bounty on Marines.
I agree about the Constitution too! It’s peachy! I particularly appreciate art. 3 and John Robert’s performance!!!! I of course wasn’t talking about the Constitution in my post. But we do have a great Country in some important ways. Now that we have slipped down to 46th or so in life expectancy I’m not sure we can brag too much bout health care and lifestyle though. But in other ways we are still coasting forward on the backs of great Presidents in the past.
Have a good one!!!