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By Greg Thayer
My fellow Americans, in the summer of 1776, a bold and dangerous idea took shape—an idea that would forever change the course of history. That idea was captured in a single document: the Declaration of Independence.
To understand its greatness, we must first understand why it was necessary.
For years, the American colonies lived under the rule of the British Crown, governed by a distant power that neither understood nor respected their rights. Colonists were taxed without representation, their trade restricted, and their voices ignored. When they pushed back, they were met with force instead of fairness.
This was more than a political disagreement. It was a fundamental question: Do people have the right to govern themselves?
In 1776, the answer was yes.
Led by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin, the Continental Congress did more than separate from Britain—they declared a new principle for humanity.
They wrote that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed with unalienable rights—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
At a time when kings ruled by birthright, this idea was revolutionary. It declared that rights come not from government, but from a higher source—and that no ruler has the authority to take them away.
The Declaration also made something else clear: when a government fails to protect those rights, the people have the right—indeed, the duty—to change it.
That idea changed the world—but it came at great risk.
Signing the Declaration was considered treason against the most powerful empire on Earth. The men who signed it knew they could lose everything—their livelihoods, their freedom, even their lives. Yet they chose liberty.
Why? Because they believed future generations deserved something better. They believed in a nation where government answers to the people—not the other way around.
That is why the Declaration was necessary then—and why it still matters today.
It reminds us that freedom is not automatic. It must be protected. It reminds us that the government is accountable to the people. And it reminds us that the principles of liberty and equality are not just words—they are responsibilities.
We should also be honest: America has not always lived up to these ideals. The promise of equality has, at times, fallen short. But the greatness of the Declaration is that it set a standard—a goal to strive toward.
Throughout our history, Americans have returned to its words to expand freedom, confront injustice, and move closer to its founding promise.
It is not just a document of the past. It is a guide for the future.
So the real question is not whether it mattered in 1776. The question is whether we will continue to honor it today.
Will we defend the principles it proclaims? Will we protect the freedoms it declares? Will we ensure that government remains rooted in the will of the people?
The men of 1776 chose courage over comfort, and liberty over control.
Now the responsibility belongs to us. Let us honor their legacy—not just in words, but in action. Let us stand for the principles that shaped this nation. And let us never forget the enduring greatness and necessity of the Declaration of Independence. Thank you.
The author is a Rutland resident and founder of Vermonters for Vermont. Painting of Concord Bridge by Don Troiani.
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Categories: Commentary, Holiday
Except in the US Democrat Party, look at the long list of last names, not mot mention nieces and nephews, of those repeatedly elected into House and Senate for family legacies
MyThayer writes, “It reminds us that freedom is not automatic. It must be protected. It reminds us that the government is accountable to the people. And it reminds us that the principles of liberty and equality are not just words—they are responsibilities.”
Well said, Mr. Thayer. When Donald Trump acts more like an 18th century European monarch than as a president, the people need to step forward to protect those rights delineated in the Declaration of Independence.
Happy July 4th!
Gregory Thayer certainly did capture some of the essential elements of the founding of our nation. One of the most important liberties being that people have the right to question our rulers. Freedom of speech, and freedom to openly debate.
I respect your right to criticize President Trump. However, I do not share all the negativity toward him. As the elected leader of a world super power, he has the obligation to present himself with a fair amount of dignity when in public. His social media tweets are another story, containing biting sarcasm and non-politically correct statements.
While not all of his positions are agreeable to me, I feel the majority of his actions have moved the USA back closer to independence and freedom for the individual. A short list:
– Shutting down the open border policy that was dictated by globalist foreign powers. The caravans largely paid for by USAID and the US People’s own money. Stopping that flow and deporting criminals and terrorists was mandatory for maintaining our sovereignty as a free nation.
– Shutting down the Department of Education and handing decision making authority back to the States as much as possible. Again, that department seems to have been implementing policies dictated by foreign powers, including indoctrinating our children into ideologies (DEI) that are nearly the opposite of the ideology represented by the Declaration of Independence.
– Shutting down the destructive war on Carbon, which is another policy that globalists forced on us through propaganda. There’s nothing wrong with some renewable energy sources in the mix, but to convert a major share of our energy source to them is not feasible, and would destroy ecosystems, not preserve them. The hypothesis that CO2 is a major contributor to climate change has been fully debunked. In fact, mankind’s burning of hydro-carbons will help keep the Earth green as long as mankind survives.
I could go on, but this is already too long. For the most part, I believe the Trump administrations policies have helped restore the People’s God given and inalienable rights. I invite you to provide examples of policies that do not.