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.
–Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776
These words from the Declaration of Independence reflect honorable intent, but the language and thinking of the time did not necessarily reflect that “all” men were created equal – certainly not enslaved persons; nor was the notion of equality extended to women.
Just as communities in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys prepare to celebrate the national semiquincentennial with picnics, concerts and other public events, this edition of The Business Journal memorializes the occasion with a focus on the anniversary. It includes stories about historical connections to the nation’s birth, local celebrations and how area businesses are participating in marking the occasion.
The celebration of this year’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence comes at a time when national unity seems distant. Political leaders, lawmakers and citizens alike can scarcely agree on what is in the national best interest, or even who that best interest should include.
It is worth noting that the previous large-scale celebration of the nation’s birth – the 1976 bicentennial – took place in the shadow of Watergate, Vietnam, economic uncertainty and social unrest, and in the middle of a presidential election year. The nation celebrated its 100th birthday just over a decade after Americans took up arms against each other in the Civil War.
The nation that stands today – flawed and fractured as it often seems – arose by embracing differences in cultures and blending ideas. It is when citizens decide that opposing viewpoints not only differ from their own but represent a fundamental threat that we lose the ability to debate points of view and come to consensus.
Often we find our unity riven, as purported leaders act to delegitimize facts that counter their preferred narrative, distract us by spectacle and exploit our divisions.
As we celebrate the semiquincentennial, let us remember that our nation’s history was built on the sentiment expressed by one of our oldest mottos, “E pluribus unum” – which translates to “Out of many, one.”
