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,
I wonder about the part:” all men are created equal”. Does ‘men’ equal masculine or is feminine also included? Does ‘all men’ include slaves and Indians or is only the white race meant? Today we have a different view on these subjects then our forefathers and it is possible that the most restrictive kind of interpretation is meant. That this is a reasonable possibility can be seen from the statement: ‘deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed’. Indians and slaves are not asked to give their consent, that has been taken away from them.
So what is today’s meaning? Consider:” that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights”. What are the ‘certain undeniable rights’; Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness?
I wonder about the part:” all men are created equal”. Does ‘men’ equal masculine or is feminine also included? Does ‘all men’ include slaves and Indians or is only the white race meant? Today we have a different view on these subjects then our forefathers and it is possible that the most restrictive kind of interpretation is meant. That this is a reasonable possibility can be seen from the statement: ‘deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed’. Indians and slaves are not asked to give their consent, that has been taken away from them.
So what is today’s meaning? Consider:” that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights”. What are the ‘certain undeniable rights’; Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness?
