On this day, July 2, 1776--The Declaration of Independence

Today, officially, in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed. That, of course, is basically what we celebrate each year with our "Independence Day" and "4th of July" celebrations. And here is the 2nd sentence of that important document, of which we are all so familiar: 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. And we're so proud of that. Right? But let's be clear, folks--we can repeat that line and we can be proud of it, sure, but this nation, the United States of America, has NEVER believed and exercised that "all men are created equal". Let's be serious and honest here. Women fought for years to get their equality. Then African-Americans had to fight for over 300 years to get theirs. And even to this day there are people fighting for the very equal rights of simply being able to visit their "significant other" in the hospital and the right to inherit, should they die and finally, of course, for the very equal right to commit to and marry whomever they please, whatever their sex. So don't for a minute think that the United States is now or ever has been a place where "all men"--all people--"are created equal". It's bullshit. We never have been and we still aren't, right up to today. That said, enjoy your holiday weekend anyway, folks, but let's keep pushing for what we could be--for what we think we are and for what we tell everyone we are and already have.