In Congress, July 4, 1776, a unanimous declaration of the 13 United States of America: “When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another…”
Thomas Jefferson penned these words and the rest of the Declaration of Independence after two days of debate in the Continental Congress at Philadelphia, in response to the worsening injustices being forced on the Colonies by the British government. In it, Jefferson stated that all men are created equal and have God-given rights and that governments are ordained to protect these rights. If any such government attacks these rights, the people may remove it and institute a better system to protect liberty.
Following that, Jefferson listed 28 of the most serious offences committed against the colonists by King George III.
“In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”
In the last paragraph, the Continental Congress ends allegiance to the British crown and dissolves all political bonds with the British government. I’ve had to summarize this magnificent document because of limited space; I recommend reading the whole thing.
These words are as important today as they were in 1776; all of our citizens and veterans should read and understand our founding documents. You can find them online, or obtain a pocket-sized copy at the Military Museum on Grand Avenue in downtown Houston. The Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Thursday.
Veterans Day after-action report: Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6337 paraded the Colors at Licking at 11 a.m. in honor of all veterans. VFW Post 473 presented Veterans Day programs at the Cabool Veterans Park and the World War I Memorial Arch in Cabool. Houston’s American Legion Post 41 took part in a Veterans Day assembly at Houston Schools at 11 a.m. and another at 6 p.m. at Roby.
Veterans organizations in Texas County:
•American Legion Post 41 meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the meeting hall on the west end of Chilton Oil Company in Houston (just north of Pizza Hut). Changes to membership eligibility now allow U.S. veterans of all branches and periods of service to join the American Legion.
•Fleet Reserve Association Branch 364 meets at 2:30 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month at the American Legion Post 41 meeting hall in Houston. The FRA exists to serve all veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard.
•Veterans Of Foreign Wars Post 473 meets at 10 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month at its meeting mall on U.S. 63 north of Cabool. The Post offers a free dinner from 4 to 7 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month, open to everyone.
•The town of Licking has Veterans Of Foreign Wars Post 6337, with a meeting hall on Main Street just south of Highway 32. Information about meetings will be included in next month’s column.