Some Definitional Questions for the Fourth

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, and that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."  So begins the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence.  Ironically, as most Americans know, the main author of this seminal document, Thomas Jefferson, was a slave-holder.  All men clearly did not include those black men held in chains at Monticello or elsewhere.  Nor, of course, was the word "men" being used in a generic way.  Men meant men, not women and men.  Certainly not children.  Just males.  White males.  And, in fact, in many minds, white male landowners.  So the self-evident truth being spoken of wasn't really about ALL human beings, nor even ALL men.  Just a select few.

Over the ensuing two plus centuries we Americans have wrestled with just what we mean by the words "all" and "men"--and we have also wrestled with the word "rights."  Do we really mean everybody when we say all men?  Do we really mean U.S. Citizens when we say all men?  What exactly do we mean?

And rights?

Life?  If that is an unalienable right does it extend to fetuses?  How about the convict on death row?  What impact does it have on health care?  If life is an unalienable right does that mean we must extend quality health care in the interest of protecting life to all people?  

Liberty?  What does it mean to be free?  Are we to be free from certain things, like fear and poverty?  Or free to do whatever we want?  

And the Pursuit of Happiness?  Lovely words, but about as ambiguous as it gets!  What if it makes me happy to take opioids in excessive amounts?  What if it makes me happy to keep a lot of guns?  What if it makes me happy to make all the money i want without any restrictions?

I am grateful for Jefferson and the other founders.  I am grateful for the vision they set before us.  But I am also convince that how we understand that vison is evolving every day, and that we as responsible members of our society, have a responsibility to participate in that evolutionary process.