Self-evident, but unrecognized
inalienable, but usurped
equal, but oppressed

The rights of every individual
to live in freedom and equality,
unchained by tyranny, to be
master of his or her own destiny

And when our forefathers yielded,
in the name of loyalty and governance,
blind at first to common interest,
they found their rights, their beliefs,
their liberty, eroding from the
land where they stood, from
the cherished ground they
made their home

Though separated by community,
culture, trade, religion and
political views, they became united,
to reclaim their rights, and to
secure and protect their future,
for themselves and for
generations to come

They became one people,
who set aside their differences
to march together toward freedom,
and with one voice they
proclaimed their independence

Announced not with the thunderous
echo of gunfire, but with a declaration,
an appeal to justice, and most
importantly, a pledge

A pledge to each other, to
dedicate their lives, their fortunes
and their sacred honor to their
common purpose, to a nation
where all men and women
are created equal, and life,
liberty and the pursuit of
happiness may flourish

It is this declaration
that we celebrate today,
not our victory in war
or the battles we fought,
but the pledge of our
forefathers, to each
other, to the nation that
we inherit, and to the
march to freedom that
we now must honor