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| Declaration of Independence: John Trumbull painting Wikimedia Commons |
Gaye Levy, Contributing Writer
Activist Post
For many, the 4th of July has traditionally marked the true beginning of summer, often celebrated with family barbeques, lots of beer, a parade and of course, fireworks. Somewhere along the way – at least for many – the true meaning of the 4th of July has been lost.
Is it any surprise that very few refer to the “4th” – as it is commonly called – as Independence Day? Nope. Not really. But let me begin at the beginning.
The Story Behind Independence Day
Back in the years leading up to 1776, the colonists were feeling the crunch of Great Britain telling them what to do and when, and charging them for the privilege through excessive taxation. People started getting P.O.’d and decided they were sick and tired of the status quo. So, in a nutshell, they decided to tell the King to take a hike. They wanted to become their own independent country, free from the tyranny that had plagued them for years.
The Congress met and appointed a committee to write a formal document that would tell Great Britain that the Americans had decided to govern themselves. Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft and the rest is history. Independence was declared on July 2, 1776 and official Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776.
Over the years, The Declaration of Independence has become more than just a piece of paper. In addition to being a symbol of our country’s independence, it has become the blueprint to the philosophy of American government. Or has it?
The preamble of the Declaration of Independence says:
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.
Independence – Really?
I believe the goals of our founding fathers were mostly met. Great Britain went away and the United States of America prospered and grew to become the most powerful country in the world. But somewhere along the line, the goal of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness became clouded and mired down by politics, special interests, super egos and the tyranny of taxation without true representation.
Much like the colonists, today the people are being told what to do, how to do it, and charged handsomely for this so-called governance. What happened to “governments deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”? In my opinion, the writing is on the wall and like those colonists of many years ago, the people of today are poised to say, quite simply, no more.
Enter the Prepper Mentality: A Personal Independence Day
Late last year, I made it my personal mission to become independent and to take care of the needs of myself and my little family without being reliant on others. This is being done by creating my own, reasonable rules for living a satisfying and sustainable life in spite of our government. Or, more succinctly, without government help, and without government intervention.
Do I pay taxes? You bet, and probably more than I should have to pay. But at the same time, I strive to isolate myself from government tyranny.
Fanatical and obsessed? I think not. The preparedness lifestyle that I have adopted has been embraced part and parcel with normal, daily life. What does that mean? Some extra food here, some alternate fuel sources there. Learning self-defense and learning to live with less stuff. And perhaps most important, putting a high value on recreation, having fun and sharing a meaningful relationship. These are the basic tenants of my life as a prepper. In my view, this is not much different than the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness described by our founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence oh so many years ago.
And so today, the 4th of July, I celebrate my own Personal Independence Day. How about you? What are your priorities for independence and how will you celebrate?
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation! — Gaye
Gaye Levy, the SurvivalWoman, grew up and attended school in the Greater Seattle area. After spending many years as an executive in the software industry, she started a specialized accounting practice offering contract CFO work to emerging high tech and service industries. She has now abandoned city life and moved to a serenely beautiful rural area on an island in NW Washington State. She lives and teaches the principles of a sustainable, self-reliant and stylish lifestyle through emergency preparation and disaster planning through her website at BackdoorSurvival.com. SurvivalWoman speaks her mind and delivers her message with optimism and grace, regardless of mayhem swirling around us.
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