On Being American

Two hundred thirty-three years ago a document was signed that contains the following language:

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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn 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 and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security....

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.

This is, of course, the Declaration of Independence. Approximately ten years after that document was signed, another document was penned which contained these words:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Several decades later, a giant among men stood and gave these words:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal....

...that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.

We live in a country where people gave their lives for a great experiment. We live in a country where that experiment is still being tested, where people continue to struggle to secure these blessings for ourselves and our posterity. We live in a country that is the greatest country in the history of the world. It is and should be a continual source of pride for each and every one of us that we are Americans. We are strong. We are good. And we will prevail over all challenges.

One of the rights our fathers fought to defend was the right to dissent - the right to have one's voice heard - the right to respectfully disagree. The difficulty we face in our day is not the exercise of this right in the face of opposition, but the exercise of this right in the face of apathy and ignorance. Hence the old joke about how do you feel about ignorance and apathy: I don't know and I don't care...

I have received several questions recently about what is going on south of the Thrif-Tee. It is an apartment complex known as "Eaglebrook Apartments". For a look at how these will turn out, please refer to the apartments on Rollingbrook in Baytown called Brookstone Apartments. One person I spoke with regarding these apartments said that it would have been nice to know what's going on. Well, we post things in the paper, notices on the bulletin board here at City Hall, and have public hearings/public meetings regarding these developments. There have been no fewer than six opportunities to find out more about this development and give comment. The developer is not required to amend his plans based on the comments received, but smart developers will make an effort to accommodate reasonable desires of the locals, knowing that the City Council will listen to the concerns of their constituents...

Please take time to familiarize yourself with things going on in the City and the various processes that it takes to get things done/approved. By the time you see the big tractors out there pushing dirt it's probably too late to give meaningful comment - the developer has already invested a lot into the process and the City's public meeting requirements have run their course. Any land owner in the City has rights to develop their property in an orderly and well-regulated way; the City cannot legally say what development a person may make on a particular parcel - only in broad zones or districts. Thus, if you are interested in having a good, orderly, aesthetically pleasing community you must get out and let us know what you think. Local politics is one place where an individual voice has an impact and can make a real, real difference.

Please come and participate! We need you!

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please let me know. Email me or stop by - I am very happy to talk with any/all of you.