There was a time when the Congress, Senate and the American people had a government with a system of check and balances.  The founders of the United States put this system in place in order to prevent one person from having to much power. Thus, in order for them to be free they created the Declaration of Independence to tell King George that they were tired of his abuses.  Well, General John Ashcroft and Authoritarian George W. Bush are once again forcing those abuses onto the people of the United States.  Because of this we have updated the Declaration of Independence…

We have updated the Declaration of Independence by making a comparison of how today’s governments, from city governments to state governments, are doing what King George did to the people of the original thirteen colonies.

The Declaration of Independence is a living document that exists to secure our unalienable rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. 

The Declaration of Independence in part establishes:

“That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Power in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that the Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shown, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses an Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is the Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for the their future Security.” 

Understand, we are not advocating sedition, but we are reminding you of your civic responsibilities to effect change and replace the current guardians of these principles.   Why do we need change?  We need change because many of the complaints listed in the Declaration of Independence are similar to the complaints we have today.

Here is a comparison of the complaints listed on the original Declaration of Independence and those that we have today:

Then:   He has called together Legislative Bodies at Places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant… for the sole Purpose of fatiguing them into Compliance with his Measures.

Now: Governor Bush has held secret meetings with Legislators at restaurants and other locations outside of the Capitol.  Local Governments have meetings during working hours when the average person is at work and cannot attend.

Then:   He has erected a Multitude of new Offices, and sent hither Swarms of Officers to harass our People,”

Now:   For many years the concentration of power is going to one person and/or one group.  They have built a multitude of code enforcement officers, sending them into our communities not to promote goodwill but to harass our People.

Then:   He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the Tenure of their Offices, and the Amount and Payment of their Salaries

Now:   Governors, and the President over the years have consolidated the selection of judges so that judges are solely dependent on them for their appointments and the tenure of their office.

Then:   He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to Civil Power.

Now:   Presidents, Governors, and Mayors have elevated the power of the police over Civil Power.

Then:   For depriving us, in many Cases, of the Benefits of Trial by Jury:

Now:  There are over 3,000 legal immigrants imprisoned who had committed a crime but have served their time.  Yet, the INS has them detained indefinitely because their country of origin will not accept them.

These are just some of the similarities, but the list of grievances today is much longer. Our First Amendment Rights are being destroyed.  The right to assemble and protest is being destroyed. The Constitution is being dismantled and all of this is happening courtesy of the Militant-Religious Right Wing.