John Clark on Promoting and Defending Rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

"On the Fourth of July, we Americans celebrate the Declaration of Independence, the birth announcement of America to the world. We ponder these immortal words of Thomas Jefferson: '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.'

"Jefferson's argument is not that the right to life, the right to liberty, and the right to pursue happiness originate in government, but that these rights have a divine origin. Jefferson argued that the job of all governments was to 'secure' rights that God had already granted. In other words, the rights to life and liberty do not come into being with the force of government fiat; life and liberty are pre-political rights already granted by God. Today, we have lost that concept. Almost a quarter-millennia later, these rights are no longer considered self-evident, and neither is a Creator. Once God and the natural law are disassociated from rights - once the idea of justice and goodness are separated from rights - we are left with a political environment in which anything could be considered a right, or nothing could be considered a right."

In a recent commentary, writer John Clark reflected on the importance of promoting and defending the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that "helped make America both great and good."

To access Mr. Clark's complete post, please visit:

National Catholic Register: Blogs: John Clark: Are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness Still Self-Evident Rights? (4 JUL 20)