A New Independence Day

post by David Zanotti, President & CEO, The American Policy Roundtable, National Headquarters, 11288 Alameda Drive, Strongsville, OH 44149 July 7, 2010

Independence Day—In late 2008, plastic yard signs began to appear across the nation. I will never forget the picture of one of those signs, in front of a house badly in need of repair. The yard sign did not contain the name of a candidate or an office. It simply bore an oval symbol and a single word—HOPE.

Where does real hope come from? Does it flow from a charismatic hero who rides across our television screens promising to make us feel better about ourselves? Does it flow from a political party promising to rescue us by winning Congress in the November elections? Does it come from electing a new President in 2012? Does it flow from a bull market surge on Wall Street, or a rebound of consumer confidence and fresh orders from old customers?

The men and women who celebrated the first signing of the Declaration of Independence 234 years ago were filled with hope even against immeasurable odds. John Adams described it this way in a letter to his wife Abigail—“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America…. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God† Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory…”

Sam Adams, the true philosophical Father of the Declaration of Independence, described the act of Congress on July 2nd in this way—“We have this day restored the Sovereign, to Whom alone men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and…from the rising to the setting sun, may his Kingdom come.”

What did these men know that we have forgotten? Surely their hope was not in their financial wealth. John Adams served his country while his dear wife scrubbed floors and tended the fields and the family. Sam Adams was so broke that his friends had to buy him new clothes so he could go to serve in Congress. Surely they did not place their hope in the volunteer army being assembled by General Washington. These minute men were few in number and standing against the most powerful military force in the world. They could not have placed their hope in public opinion polls. Many people living in the colonies had NO desire to go to war with the mother country. Only a small percentage of Americans strongly supported the actions of the Congress on the day the Declaration of Independence was signed. So, where did they anchor their hope that such an enterprise of Liberty could possibly succeed?

The answer is crystal clear. They placed their hope in the Creator† and the truth that flows from His† character as revealed in the sacred Scriptures. They put their hope firmly in the Lord†. They knew they could not succeed without His† aid. The Declaration of Independence is first and foremost a worldview treatise. It is a statement of faith, a declaration of self-evident truths and a practical application of those truths in the sphere of civil government.

“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. —That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —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 powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

The Founders placed their hope in the living God† of the Universe—but why? What did they know about this God† that gave them the courage to believe that He† would hear their cry for deliverance and bring them out of bondage?

The Founders knew God† takes delight in His† creation and that He† longs for mankind to be free. And they knew this God† of the Universe is just and loves justice. (Psalm 11:7, 33:5, 45:6, 89:14, 103:6, Isaiah 28:17, 30:18, 42:1, 61:8, Amos 5:24, Zechariah 7:9, Matthew 12:18-20, Luke 11:42, 18:8, Acts 17:31, Romans 3:25, Hebrews 11:33, Revelation 19:11)

Some will say—“Wait a minute—these same people were slaveholders and looked the other way on the bondage of African slaves.” An accurate reading of history reveals not all the founders were slaveholders. Many who owned slaves knew slavery was wrong and worked to free their slaves and liberate the nation from slavery. This is no excuse but it is real. Washington released all his slaves upon his death and Jefferson called slavery a haunting “alarm bell in the night.” John Adams’ son remains the only man to run for Congress after being President. He served for the purpose of petitioning Congress for the abolition of slavery. John Quincy Adams died in the Capitol building working till his final hours for abolition. The failure of Congress to embrace abolition fueled the Civil War and cost 650,000 more lives.

All this only makes the basic point stronger. God† is just. “For I the Lord love justice.” (Isaiah 61:8). Whether justice against bondage from King George III or justice for the enslaved against the slave industry and a blind Congress—God† is not looking the other way. Not then, not now, not ever! Herein lies the hope of America. God† is just. He† sees. He† knows. He† exercises justice on earth every day. He† is waiting for us to call out to Him† for deliverance. No matter how great the odds—God† is greater and His† justice will prevail on Earth.

So what is our role to play in all of this? Do we just cry out to God† and wait for a magical deliverer to appear? Let us return again to the example of the Founders. They clearly understood the cost of the Declaration of Independence on the day they signed it beneath these words—“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence†, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

Then they made good on that pledge by their actions. Is it not time for all of us to do the same? Here is what that looks like today—We repent, we pray, and we get up off our knees and bring the truth back to the mission field of public policy in word and deed. In roughly 100 days, the election of 2010 will be upon us. This is just the beginning.

• Action item—Are you praying today for the hundreds of new candidates running for Congress and the State Legislature? Are you looking to find new leaders you can support?

Together our partnership in building out the iVoters strategy is beginning to bear real fruit. Since the April 19th release of Free Agents, almost 3,000 people have downloaded or purchased a copy of this new book. Think about that one for a moment—almost 3,000 people mostly in Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania being trained in the core principles and practical strategies of bringing new leadership to America.

• Action item— Have you ordered just two extra copies of this book to give to someone you know cares about restoring justice in America? Have you emailed everyone on your contacts list with the link to download this book for free at iVoters.com? Have you posted the link on your Facebook page?

In just a few weeks the iVoters.com Forum will go live. This new voter information forum is going to rock the political world! iVoters is empowering millions of independent voters no political party can reach.

• Action item— Have you made your most generous contribution to help pay for the development, hosting and advertising of this new site that can change everything in key communities in key states? Are you helping tell the world about iVoters.com?

On September 30th a whole new MAD 2010 Celebration event will be unveiled. The first venue will be in Medina, Ohio. Over 1000 friends from across the nation will be gathering to celebrate Liberty and make financial commitments to the work of Roundtable and Freedom Forum.

• Action item— Have you ordered your tickets? Space is limited so please contact Allison Allen (800-522-8683 ext. 104) today. Will you join us in praying that this new format will spread to key regions across the nation?

Two hundred and thirty four years ago, the God† of Justice heard the cries of those calling out for deliverance in the American colonies. What might that same God† do today—if we the people cried out to Him† again and began to walk obediently in His† path? For Hope that is real.