We all love to quote from the Declaration of Independence:

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.

But how many of us have read the entire declaration? Jefferson follows this wonderful introductory statement with a list of “injuries” by the “King of Great-Britain” and reveals a very dark truth about how our founding fathers felt about oppressing the “rights” of their neighbors.

He has excited domestic Insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the Inhabitants of our Frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known Rule of Warfare, is an undistinguished Destruction, of all Ages, Sexes and Conditions.

Anyone else find it a bit strange that in the same document championing “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” the great Thomas Jefferson would also label their “merciless” and “savages” neighbors who were bent on the “destruction” of everything?

An yet, somehow, these “Indian savages” do not have the “rights” to fight and “abolish” a government that has become “destructive” to the rights of their people.

Things that make you say hmmm…

Thanks for reading,

Notes:

https://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-declaration-of-independence/read-the-declaration/