HIGHLAND, UT | 8 July 2008 | Last week Americans throughout the country had the good fortune of celebrating the birthday of its nation by honoring the day upon which The Declaration of Independence was pronounced in the open streets of the then 13 British Colonies in America. The birth of our nation is replete with symbolism and images of warfare and bloodshed. Some say the red in the flag symbolizes the blood spilt on the battlefields throughout time striving to gain and retain this nation’s liberty. The fireworks of the day reminds viewers of the “bombs bursting in air” during key battles for our freedom. And our beloved national anthem is centered around the fact that in battle the Star Spangled Banner was still posted atop the flag post. Images of warfare are practically synonymous with the existence of the United States.

Naturally, this bothers many people. There have been movements to replace these images in favor of more humane ones. People wish to replace “The Star Spangled Banner” as our nation’s anthem and to replace it with something more peaceful. These people all miss the mark, and they miss it horribly.

on the Fourth, Bryan Caplan of the Library of Economics and Liberty posted a statement questioning the value of fighting for our liberty 232 years ago, echoing a similar posting on last year’s Independence. Is question poses a reasonable argument, I believe. Caplan’s premise is “if you take a sober look at policy before and after, and subtract out all the horrors of war, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that independence is grossly overrated.” Yes, if looked at as only strategies and tactics, perhaps Caplan is right. But when one considers principles, his statement is not even in the ball game.

Key Points

• Colonists living in America did not want to break from their beloved mother country. They spent decades attempting to reconcile the differences between the two lands.

Prudence indeed will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes.

• America’s struggle for independence was not about becoming our own nation. That was a by-product of the process. The events leading up to the War for Independence was a decades long struggle for inalienable rights. Those who finally declared independence explained:

Mankind are more disposed to suffer whiles evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

• Bloodshed had already begun when the decision for independence was finally reached. Further, the violent atrocities were started by the British in the years leading up to the 1776 Declaration.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes, and conditions.

• The colonists, after several years of atrocities against them, finally had enough. All this finally brought them to the point at which they decided liberty and independence was worth every price. In 1775, Patrick Henry uttered his famous line: “Give me liberty or give me death.” The Declaration continues:

…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….And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

Conclusion

Mr. Caplan’s statements have raised no small fervor among his readers, which is no doubt the purpose of his statement. Some agree with his words, other refute them. Some go as far to say they are embarrassed of our country and even blame the U.S. for the course of history since its inception. Others argue that none of the peaceful “revolutions” would have happened throughout the world without first the bloody revolution in America. Whether Caplan’s words are heartfelt beliefs or merely incitement for discussion, the perspective presents an element of terror. As the cliche cautions, and this should be taken extremely seriously: Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Caplan’s statement reveals complacency in the comforts of liberty. It reveals an naive attitude that bad men will choose good actions. This is extremely dangerous. Edmund Burke explained, “There is no safety for honest men except for believing all possible evil by evil men.” And finally, Jefferson, one of our greatest founding fathers, explained a number of ideas about freedom, where it comes from and how it is maintained.

It would be a dangerous delusion were a confidence in the men of our choice to silence our fears for the safety of our rights….Confidence is everywhere the parent of despotism. Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions to bind down those whom we are obliged to trust with power….Our Constitution has accordingly fixed the limits to which, and no further, our confidence may go…

In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

A sad reality, and one that must definitely be used with extreme caution, lest the bloodshed itself fall for tyranny rather than freedom.

The Library of Economics and Liberty has one thing right. Liberty and economics cannot be separated. The proper implementation of both is necessary to maintain an eternal vigilance of the independence our Founders created.

Who decides the price of liberty? Those who crave it the most.

Action Items

1. Seek to more fully understand the motivations of the Founders by studying their authentic words.
2. Take responsibility of your own life, liberty, and prosperity. An economically free man is the one able to maintain the political freedoms we enjoy.
3. Associate with others who seek eternal vigilance.
4. Share these ideas with five others in your circle of influence.

MRFC Principles:  (2, 3, 4)

Sources

Declaration of Independence

Bryan Caplan, When Has Independence Been Worth the Price?, Library of Economics and Liberty, July 4, 2008.

Bryan Caplan, Independence Day: Any Reason to Celebrate?, Library of Economics and Liberty, July 4, 2007.

Some quotes obtained from Freedom Keys online.

Thomas Jefferson quotes obtained from NCCS’ The Real Thomas Jefferson.