I’m often in a minority among progressives because I am a staunch patriot. Granted, an objective reading of American history reveals many sad political choices, some of which were undeniably evil. But it also surfaces instances of noble decisions and sacrifices which made the world a better place.
This dichotomy between what we sometimes are and what we aspire to be has been with us since our founding. It’s clear many if not most of those who signed the Declaration of Independence were not interested in granting a seat at the table to anyone other than privileged white males. John Adams was astounded to learn the state of Pennsylvania was going to enfranchise some working men. He and the rest of the Continental Congress — which was exclusively male — also rejected the idea of including women. And preserving unity required staying silent on slavery, which at least some knew was evil.
But in their need to justify their rebellion — to potential allies leery of joining a British civil war, to the world at large, and to themselves — they stumbled upon a profound truth: that governments exist solely and only to serve the people who bring them into being, so as to assist the people in their pursuit of happiness.
This insight was, and remains, shockingly revolutionary. Even modern Americans often find the Declaration, stripped of its famous opening stanza, a disturbing challenge to the status quo.
And they are right to see it that way. Because the status quo generally favors the successful. That’s not automatically bad. But it can, all too often, lead to corruption and the curtailment of liberty.
That the founders may not have been as noble as many would like to see them doesn’t matter. Because they wrought better than they knew … while starting a fight that continues to this day. You can explain much of our often-bloody history as the struggle between what they wrote and the desire of those currently in power to retain their privileges and further their own interests. The revolution announced by the Declaration has never really ended … and, given human nature, it probably never can.
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Whether it was Southern slavers asserting they could not be truly free unless they were free to own other human beings, or Gilded Age barons and later monopolists profiting from wage slaves, or those who made Blacks second-class citizens through Jim Crow laws, history shows we will never lack for people whose urge to dominate others to serve themselves knows no bounds. Which is why time and again Americans have had to fight, and will have to continue to fight, to preserve the promise at the heart of the Declaration. It’s the ultimate American cause … and it defines what it means to be an American.
Today the challenge is upon us once again, with an elected wannabe despot and his enablers doing things most Americans oppose, all in the name of protecting and preserving the nation. But more and more people are seeing through the subterfuge and are realizing the real goal is to create a system in which freedom and happiness are only for those who toe a line set by their self-appointed betters. Who will also ensure the interests of those who helped put them in power are protected and enhanced, regardless of what that will mean for the rest of us.
Fortunately, a growing number of people remember those simple, self-evident truths, and are standing up to defend the real promise of America. It takes a lot to convince ordinary people to sacrifice their time — not to mention, sadly, their lives — to fight against injustice. The fact that so many are doing just that should give us all hope, and encourage those of us on the sidelines to join in. These brave souls reject jingoistic patriotism, in favor of the revolutionary vision that burst onto the world stage when the Declaration was published.
Those who would destroy America’s promise have been defeated before, more than once. And while their defeat too often involves bloodshed, it doesn’t require armed revolt. Everything that needs to be done can be done through the ballot box … provided we prevent those in power from destroying that ultimate guardrail.
We need to reject the false leaders currently in power and replace them with ones who understand true American leaders work for all the people, not just themselves and the few. If we do that, we can get the new birth of freedom so many crave … and ensure that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Mark is a former mayor of San Carlos. He currently spends much of his time writing for the website make-america-smart-again.com. You can follow him on BlueSky at markolbert.bsky.social.
Hilarious. Folks, here’s the TLDR: Mr. Olbert spends almost 500 words setting up background only to conclude, as we all know from Mr. Olbert’s history, “orange man bad.” Unfortunately for Mr. Olbert, his biggest problem is citing the Declaration of Independence as his basis for complaining. Everyone who has taken a U.S. Government class knows that the U.S. Constitution is what governs American society but if Mr. Olbert cited the U.S. Constitution, we all know his narrative would completely fail, much like a house of cards.
Hey Mr. Olbert, as a reminder, officials don’t swear an oath to support and defend the Declaration of Independence; they swear an oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution. Didn’t you as a former mayor swear that oath? Instead of exhibiting your faux outrage at our (yes, our) great President Trump, why don’t you show true outrage at Democrats who put the welfare of criminals and terrorists over the American people, failing to uphold their oaths to the Constitution? Staunch, or any, patriots would and by not doing so, it makes us question whether one claiming to be a patriot is a patriot in any sense of the word. Thank you for your attention to this matter. OTOH, to give you the benefit of the doubt, perhaps your column was mistakenly published early instead of the date it was meant to be published – April 1.
Mr. Olbert - you are just preaching to your choir. Your interpretation is yours and no one else's. You seem to believe that the Founding Fathers somehow by accident managed to compose/endorse the Declaration of Independence. Actually the basis of this statement is the precedent declaration of the United Dutch Provinces that formed the very first federacy, resulting in the Dutch Golden Age. Our originators did not 'stumble' but used those provisions of citizen representation by all: a proven political system that was unfortunately upended by Napoleon who installed a king, his brother Louis. The Netherlands were never the same and are still stuck with a monarchy. Yet, our system prevailed over many challenges including a movement to appoint Washington as our first king. As we know now, he forcibly declined. Your knowledge of the historical context is appalling and is another reason why most Americans are so poorly informed. Lastly, your closing dig at Trump gives most readers the impression that you are nothing but a political hack, nothing more, nothing less, while pretending to be a historian.
Well said Mr. Olbert. Anyone still supporting the Felon and his vile crew is just as corrupt, and just as guilty of attempting to kill democracy in its 250th year. Illegal tariffs, wars, deportations, killings, vindictive lawsuits, corrupt administrators, protected pedophiles, prices surging, jobs declining, our allies deserting us, the world laughing at us. None of it matters to the MAGA cult and their Russian enablers. They continue to dismantle our liberties while cackling about "owning the libs." How very sad. The rest of us will continue to fight for the freedoms and values enshrined in our Constitution. Thank you again for your excellent letter.
SMpool - "the world laughing at us", I am convinced that you live in a very tiny world. Would you be so kind as to identifying the source of your exclamation? "protected pedophiles"? It turns out that most of them are wealthy associates of Democrats. Why are you blaming Trump for their friendship with the ultimate pedophile, Epstein. And the Russian hoax is still playing in your head, it makes me wonder about your state of mind. Next time, please post something original instead of regurgitated Dem playbook entries.
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(4) comments
Hilarious. Folks, here’s the TLDR: Mr. Olbert spends almost 500 words setting up background only to conclude, as we all know from Mr. Olbert’s history, “orange man bad.” Unfortunately for Mr. Olbert, his biggest problem is citing the Declaration of Independence as his basis for complaining. Everyone who has taken a U.S. Government class knows that the U.S. Constitution is what governs American society but if Mr. Olbert cited the U.S. Constitution, we all know his narrative would completely fail, much like a house of cards.
Hey Mr. Olbert, as a reminder, officials don’t swear an oath to support and defend the Declaration of Independence; they swear an oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution. Didn’t you as a former mayor swear that oath? Instead of exhibiting your faux outrage at our (yes, our) great President Trump, why don’t you show true outrage at Democrats who put the welfare of criminals and terrorists over the American people, failing to uphold their oaths to the Constitution? Staunch, or any, patriots would and by not doing so, it makes us question whether one claiming to be a patriot is a patriot in any sense of the word. Thank you for your attention to this matter. OTOH, to give you the benefit of the doubt, perhaps your column was mistakenly published early instead of the date it was meant to be published – April 1.
Mr. Olbert - you are just preaching to your choir. Your interpretation is yours and no one else's. You seem to believe that the Founding Fathers somehow by accident managed to compose/endorse the Declaration of Independence. Actually the basis of this statement is the precedent declaration of the United Dutch Provinces that formed the very first federacy, resulting in the Dutch Golden Age. Our originators did not 'stumble' but used those provisions of citizen representation by all: a proven political system that was unfortunately upended by Napoleon who installed a king, his brother Louis. The Netherlands were never the same and are still stuck with a monarchy. Yet, our system prevailed over many challenges including a movement to appoint Washington as our first king. As we know now, he forcibly declined. Your knowledge of the historical context is appalling and is another reason why most Americans are so poorly informed. Lastly, your closing dig at Trump gives most readers the impression that you are nothing but a political hack, nothing more, nothing less, while pretending to be a historian.
Well said Mr. Olbert. Anyone still supporting the Felon and his vile crew is just as corrupt, and just as guilty of attempting to kill democracy in its 250th year. Illegal tariffs, wars, deportations, killings, vindictive lawsuits, corrupt administrators, protected pedophiles, prices surging, jobs declining, our allies deserting us, the world laughing at us. None of it matters to the MAGA cult and their Russian enablers. They continue to dismantle our liberties while cackling about "owning the libs." How very sad. The rest of us will continue to fight for the freedoms and values enshrined in our Constitution. Thank you again for your excellent letter.
SMpool - "the world laughing at us", I am convinced that you live in a very tiny world. Would you be so kind as to identifying the source of your exclamation? "protected pedophiles"? It turns out that most of them are wealthy associates of Democrats. Why are you blaming Trump for their friendship with the ultimate pedophile, Epstein. And the Russian hoax is still playing in your head, it makes me wonder about your state of mind. Next time, please post something original instead of regurgitated Dem playbook entries.
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