By Altin Zaloshnja
These are three of the 56 total signatures found on the United States Declaration of Independence. They belong to very exquisite characters of the time.
First, John Hancock of Massachusetts, was the President of the Second Continental Congress. Legend has it, he signed with the biggest possible script in order to be easily spotted by the opposing authority. That opposing authority happened to be the most expansive empire in history.
Second, Lewis Morris of New York, when warned of the decision’s consequences by his brother, a general of the British Army, emphatically stated; “Damn the consequences, give me the pen”!
They both were highly respected men in society and well to do, meanwhile their lives and finances greatly suffered as the result of that momental act.
Which brings us to the third individual, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, the genius of declarative wording, himself the author of the text. Often, and obviously so, the second sentence “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” is the most mentioned and talked about. It is a monumental statement, reminding the government that human rights are a gift of God to men and they can neither be taken nor suppressed from any statal mechanism without a just and lawful reason.
Nevertheless, I’d also make the argument, the last sentence of the document also needs the very same consideration. It states: “And for the support of this Declaration, with affirm reliance on the protection of the divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor”. These individuals knew the aftermath, yet convinced what they were doing was right, stood together and faced the music of the upcoming battles.
The moral of the story: that’s the character the leaders should be made of and this is the way a nation should follow in order to have a responsible governance and the prosperity that comes thereof.
Happy 4th of July!
P.S. Will Albania be ever hearing the sound of that honest pledge?