The Declaration of Independence 2.0: A Liberal Rewrite for the Modern Age

By Matthew Hayward

This is what a rewrite of the Declaration of Independence might look like if the progressive left in American gets there way:

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 ethics entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of Humankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths as self-evident that all individuals are created equal and have inherent worth and dignity and that among their unalienable rights are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. To secure these rights, governments are instituted among individuals, 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 individuals 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 will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes. Accordingly, all experience shows that individuals are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But 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.

Such has been the patient sufferance of these individuals, and such is now the necessity that constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present government is a history of repeated microaggressions and oppressions, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these individuals. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

They have refused to acknowledge the inherent worth and dignity of certain groups, including but not limited to people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals.

They have failed to provide trigger warnings or safe spaces for individuals who have experienced trauma or face mental health challenges, thereby limiting their ability to access education and participate fully in society.

They have neglected to prioritize sustainability and have engaged in practices that harm the environment, putting future generations at risk.

They have perpetuated a system of inequality and inequity, denying certain groups access to opportunities, resources, and basic human rights.

They have failed to uphold the principles of social justice, allowing systemic discrimination and oppression to continue unchecked.

In every stage of these oppressions, individuals have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: their repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A government whose character is thus marked by every act that may define a Tyranny is unfit to rule a free people.

We, therefore, the representatives of these individuals, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the ethical principles of our collective humanity for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of these United States, solemnly publish and declare, that these individuals are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the former government, and that all political connection between them and the State is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the collective human conscience, we mutually pledge to each other our lives.

The Heavy Toll of Reclaiming Freedom

By Matthew Hayward The struggle for freedom has been a recurring act in the grand theater of human history. Yet, there is a philosophical argument that once freedoms are lost, they are irretrievably gone. This perspective, while disheartening, merits exploration. It's a chilling echo of the words of the trailblazing libertarian Claire Wolfe, "America is at that awkward stage; it's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards." The first act in this tragic play is the rise of technology. As we advance technologically, the tools of distraction become more potent. The Roman Coliseum has been replaced by the smartphone, a device that can pacify and distract with unprecedented efficiency. This technological pacification, while seemingly benign, has a sinister side. It diverts attention from the erosion of freedoms, making it easier for those in power to chip away at our liberties unnoticed. Consider the pervasive surveillance facilitated by our ...

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By Matthew Hayward The slow poison of complacency is the death of the fighting spirit. History is filled with examples of once-free people who gradually surrendered their liberty, not in a single stroke but through a series of quiet concessions. Tyranny often doesn’t arrive with the sound of thunder; it creeps in like a thief in the night, taking advantage of human complacency. The most maddening aspect of this process is not the power-hungry forces behind it, it is the passive, apathetic acceptance by the very people it seeks to control. Complacency is the death knell of liberty. It dulls the senses, erodes vigilance, and normalizes oppression over time. What once sparked outrage and resistance becomes routine, accepted as the new normal. The body scanners at TSA checkpoints, the Patriot Act, the ever-expanding surveillance state, each started with public protests and fiery debates. Now, these violations of privacy and freedom are woven into the fabric of everyday life. Why do pe...

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By Matthew Hayward In the complex arena of political strategy, even those who occupy the highest echelons of power can falter, demonstrating a profound disconnect between their strategic intentions and operational execution. The recent failure to secure the endorsement for their preferred candidate, Dave Reichert, is not merely a setback; it is a revealing exposé of the grave strategic missteps at the heart of the Republican party's establishment in Washington State. These seasoned campaigners, these stewards of conservative strategy, have evidently underestimated the critical importance of grassroots engagement. While I acknowledge the logic behind promoting an established politician strategically positioned geographically and perceived as moderate in our swing state—a strategy driven by considerations of electability, which admittedly has its merits—the incessant focus on this argument and complete lack of any meaningful engagement and education has alienated the grassroots yet a...

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