“…The immortal words of our Founding Fathers
inscribed in the Declaration of Independence represent the charter upon which
the American republic is based. The genius of America is rooted in our
commitment to religious freedom—the freedom of conscience.”
Rob Schenck
Faith and Action
___________________________________
“…President Obama's Department of Health and Human
Services mandate forcing Americans to pay for abortion-inducing drugs,
contraception and sterilization has undermined religious freedom as nothing in
our 236 years of independence has threatened it. We can identify strongly with
Thomas Jefferson, who crossed out the word "Subjects" and inserted
the word "Citizens" in the Declaration of Independence. Citizens
exercise their freedom to preach and pray, and to practice their religion. Subjects
must obey mandates, even if those mandates violate their consciences and
their most deeply held beliefs. Our Supreme Court has for the first time
mandated us to obey an unjust law or pay a penalty they call a tax. It's as if
the British Parliament had not only taxed our tea, but forced us to buy it,
too!
“So let us have a Glorious Fourth. But let it be as
well an Uproarious Fourth. Let's carry the message of religious and
political liberty throughout this broad land. Let families as they gather pray
together for our country in these perilous times. Let them read the
Declaration, reflect on its real meaning, and commit to protecting its transcendent
principles every day.”
Robert Morrison
Family Research Council
Senior Fellow for Policy
___________________________________
“A national "Fortnight for Freedom" has
been spotlighting the erosion of religious freedom and helping Americans learn
how to defend their freedom. Torre notes that "the freedoms enshrined in
our founding document will be hard to ignore on July 4. As the Fortnight for
Freedom concludes, church
bells across the country will ring simultaneously at noon (Eastern time),
declaring loudly: Let Religious Freedom Ring."
“On Independence Day - and every day - Americans should remember and celebrate the Declaration's timeless expression of our God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and recall all those - past, present, and future - who pledge their lives, liberty, and sacred honor to upholding these truths.”
The Heritage Foundation
___________________________________
“Today, we celebrate with speeches, fireworks,
picnics, and other festivities the signing of the Declaration of
Independence. Fifty-six men signed that
document pledging their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor” to the cause of
liberty. All of them made good on that
pledge. Many lost their wealth, land,
families, and some their own lives as they birthed this nation. Unfortunately, perhaps more than ever in our
history, their vision of freedom is under assault. This November’s election
will determine whether one of the greatest legislative assaults on individual
liberty will continue.”
Victoria Cobb
Family Foundation Action
___________________________________
“One of the things I am most proud of, pursuant to
our Founding Fathers, was their faith in and recognition ofGod. It offends
me to hear the seditious ignorance of the foolish that fight to remove any and
all references toGod when, in fact, our Founding
Fathers intended for God to be acknowledged and prayers to be
offered in conjunction with good government and the observance of federal
holidays and the ceremonies adjoining same.”
Mychal Massie
___________________________________
"On this day two-hundred and thirty-six years
ago, our nation bravely declared its independence, asserting our unalienable
rights to 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Today, we celebrate
that bold declaration and express our gratitude for all the blessings of our
God-given freedoms.
"Amid the picnics, parades, and fireworks, we
must also remember those who are at this moment defending our freedoms abroad.
These selfless men and women especially deserve our thoughts and prayers today,
for they are fighting for the very ideals we celebrate."
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus
___________________________________
"The Fourth of July encourages us to reflect
on our nation's history, both our triumphs and our trials. The last few years
have been extraordinarily difficult for millions of American families, but
America's story is one of overcoming challenges. We can and will prevail, and
move toward a more prosperous future.
"We wish everyone a Happy Independence Day. In
the words of Katharine Lee Bates' great patriotic hymn, may 'God shed his grace
on thee,' America! And may He always richly bless this land we love and this
country we cherish."
RNC Co-Chairman Sharon Day
___________________________________
“Hope and change has been a nightmare for millions
of Americans! We don't want to see America "fundamentally
transformed" into a European-style socialist welfare state.
“But let's set aside those concerns for a moment to celebrate the birthday of America. I'd like to share with you excerpts of an essay Ronald Reagan wrote entitled "What the Fourth of July Means To Me."
“But let's set aside those concerns for a moment to celebrate the birthday of America. I'd like to share with you excerpts of an essay Ronald Reagan wrote entitled "What the Fourth of July Means To Me."
"For one who was born and grew up in the small towns of the
Midwest, there is a special kind of nostalgia about the Fourth of July. I
remember it as a day almost as long-anticipated as Christmas. …
"Somewhere in our growing up we began to be aware of the meaning of days and with that awareness came the birth of patriotism. July Fourth is the birthday of our nation. I believed as a boy, and believe even more today, that it is the birthday of the greatest nation on earth. …
"What manner of men were [gathered in Philadelphia in July 1776]? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists, 11 were merchants and tradesmen, and nine were farmers. They were soft-spoken men of means and education; they were not an unwashed rabble. They had achieved security but valued freedom more. Their stories have not been told nearly enough.
"John Hart was driven from the side of his desperately ill wife. For more than a year he lived in the forest and in caves before he returned to find his wife dead, his children vanished, his property destroyed. He died of exhaustion and a broken heart.
"Carter Braxton of Virginia lost all his ships, sold his home to pay his debts, and died in rags. … [Thomas] Nelson personally urged Washington to fire on his home and destroy it when it became the headquarters for General Cornwallis. Nelson died bankrupt.
"But they sired a nation that grew from sea to shining sea. … In recent years, however, I've come to think of that day as more than just the birthday of a nation. It also commemorates the only true philosophical revolution in all history.
"Oh, there have been revolutions before and since ours. But those revolutions simply exchanged one set of rules for another. Ours was a revolution that changed the very concept of government.
"Let the Fourth of July always be a reminder that here in this land, for the first time, it was decided that man is born with certain God-given rights; that government is only a convenience created and managed by the people, with no powers of its own except those voluntarily granted to it by the people. We sometimes forget that great truth, and we never should."
“President Reagan's words are especially poignant this Fourth of July and should encourage us all in the days and weeks ahead. Let us rededicate ourselves to the vision of our Founding Fathers, so that our nation may experience a "new birth of freedom" on November 6th!
Gary Bauer
Campaign for Working
Families
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