In 1776 Thomas Jefferson offered in his Declaration of Independence certain fundamental, timeless principles regarding all men and their coexistence with one another: Each individual's inalienable right to his own life, his own liberty, and the pursuit of his own happiness.
This historically unprecedented declaration inspired the establishment of a nation based on the recognition of these individual rights, which include, as their necessary corollary, property rights, wherein property (earned or inherited) is privately owned.
The Fourth of July is a holiday that most Americans celebrate for various reasons. The festivity may involve family, friends or public gatherings. Popular culture would have you believe that the gala is a birthday party for the country. Flags wave, bands march and bystanders cheer. The parades are pageants, visible spectacles for all to enjoy. After the confetti blows away, what is the meaning of the day? Commemoration of the Declaration of Independence should be the primary reason for the remembrance.
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Lin Newborn - May 7, 1974-July 4, 1998
July 4th has never been the same after that day in 1998. My friend Lin Newborn was killed along with his friend Daniel Shersty. They were both anti-racist activists, and were taken to the desert and murdered. Police state that Lin and Dan were lured into a trap by two women, and taken to a northwest part of the valley(in Las Vegas, NV) under the pretext of attending a party. They were then beaten and possibly tortured before being shot to death by white racial extremists. Police speculate that Newborn may have been trying to escape when he was killed. Each July 4th I'm taken back by his death. It reminds me of my own mortality. I cant believe it's been 9 years.
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