Veterans Corner

Community Contributed

By Jesse Church

Aloha all my fellow veterans and residents of Molokai, old Jesse here with all the veterans news and upcoming events. Every American knows what the date July 4, 1776 signifies:  Independence Day, the day the Declaration of Independence was signed. Why did the 13 colonies want to break away from Great Britain? Perhaps part of the answer can be found in the Declaration of Independence. The second paragraph of the declaration is excerpted, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, 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 People 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…. 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 Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.”

Of the last nine paragraphs, eight of them list the things done by King George of Great Britain that the 13 colonies believe as wrong, and their motive for a new government, with residents of the colonies in control of their government. The author of the Declaration of Independence was Benjamin Franklin, who I believe wrote a very powerful, well thought-out, and very well written document that unified the colonies, and made the United States possible. If you have never read the Declaration of Independence, you should. It tells so much about our forefathers and their resolve to right the wrongs of King George.

The Constitution of the United States was signed by delegates on Sept. 17, 1787 and was supported by the 12 states present at the Constitutional Convention. I’d like to share with you the preamble of the constitution.

“We, the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

I will write more on the Constitution at a later date.

Hey all you people out there with fireworks, please let’s be very careful. We don’t want to see anyone get hurt, or any fires on the Fourth of July, and have some consideration for your friends and neighbors. Some people go to bed early, and you don’t need to shoot fireworks into the wee hours of the morning. Remember old Jesse loves all the residents of Molokai very much, from my heart. Everybody have a great holiday! See you next week, aloha.