Slated on Backbone Radio, July 6 Listen every Sunday, 5-8pm on 710 KNUS, Denver... 1460 KZNT, Colorado Springs... and streaming live at 710knus.com.
"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation." That's the first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, America's birth certificate. We often skip over it to dwell on the second paragraph, with its timeless words about life and liberty, rights and government. But already in those opening lines, if you read them carefully, we find important teachings about the American worldview, as vital to our national identity today as ever -- but less and less honored in these times.
Asserted there, we can recognize (1) the sovereignty of the people, (2) immutable right and wrong, (3) a higher law than human codes, (4) the appeal to reason, and (5) mutual obligation and the Golden Rule. How different from current notions of relativism, post-modernism, situational ethics, radical personal autonomy, and the priesthood of judges.
So, happy Fourth of July. If all I do with this email is to urge you back to a fresh reading of the Declaration, that's a lot. If you can join us on the radio Sunday evening, that's better still. We'll talk about what America means as we always do -- Independence Day is year-round with us -- and we'll have a lineup of great guests to help us with that. Please be listening.
** Bill Kristol will size up the Bush legacy (Sunday is the President's birthday) and author Myrna Blyth will discuss her terrific book for parents, "How to Raise an American."
** Plus attorney Kent Holsinger on Ritter's battle against oil and gas production... columnist Mike Littwin on the presidential race... and former heavyweight boxer Ron Lyle on his mission to rescue Denver's inner-city kids.
When in the course of human events, your long holiday weekend is almost over and another working Monday is almost upon you, top off the independence celebration with three hours of flag-waving radio. Up in Backbone Colorado USA we love the national anthem and we accept no substitutes. If you agree, join us.
Yours for self-government, JOHN ANDREWS