New John Compere Piece! – American Independence – A Realistic Retrospective

Published On: June 15, 2018|Categories: News, Top News|0 Comments|

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AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE – A REALISTIC RETROSPECTIVE

Independence Day is our national holiday commemorating the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress at Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. Separation from the British monarchy and church began with the American Revolution. Military defeat of the British and establishment of our independent United States of America followed. Our courageous Founders fought and won independence from an oppressive foreign government and religion.

The Declaration (not law) used universal terms inclusive of all religions (“Laws of Nature ”, “Nature’s God ”, “Creator ” & “Divine Providence ”). It proclaims government derives its “…just Powers from the Consent of the Governed…”  (not religion).

The Constitution is the original lawful document establishing our secular government, its organization and operation. The Preamble states 6 secular reasons our nation was created for “We the People ”. The Constitution contains no deity reference and commands “no religious test” shall ever be required as a qualification to any public office. James Madison reminded delegates of the Constitution’s secular purpose: “This is derived from the superior power of the people.”

History documents there were no public prayers during the 116 days of the Constitutional Convention and only 17% of Americans belonged to religious congregations in 1776.

Our Constitution provides 3 independent government branches as a check and balance on power. The legislative branch enacts law, executive branch executes law, and judicial branch interprets law with exclusive power to decide Constitution cases.

The first 10 Amendments are our Bill of Rights providing independent liberties for Americans. 17 additional Amendments have been enacted by Congress and ratified by states.

The First Amendment provides our historic trinity of religious liberties – freedom from public religion, freedom of private religion, and freedom for religious speech. These freedoms cannot be used to violate the religious freedom of others.

The original national mottoes created by our Founders in 1782 are strictly secular – “E Pluribus Unum ” (Out of Many One), “Novos Ardo Seclorum ” (New Order of the Ages), and “Annuit Coeptis ” (Undertakings Favored).

It is fact, history and law we were created as an independent secular nation (not founded on religion). This was confirmed by the 1791 First Amendment and settled by the 1797 Treaty of Tripoli, a publicly recorded international legal document, officially notifying the world “…THE UNITED STATES IS NOT IN ANY SENSE FOUNDED ON THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION…”. It was negotiated during 1st President George Washington’s administration, unanimously ratified by the Senate and signed by 2nd President John Adams. The American Consul to Algiers, Joel Barlow (Revolutionary War chaplain & Washington appointee), negotiated the treaty, co-authored the Arabic version signed abroad during Washington’s presidency and authored the English version ratified and signed in the United States during Adams’ presidency without opposition.

World history records the catastrophic conflicts caused throughout Europe when governments and religion combined. Separation of church and state is an independent liberty of free people that keeps public government out of private religion and private religion out of public government. It was our Founders’ clear intent as provided by the Constitution and First Amendment, indisputably documented by countless historical records, publicly acknowledged by every President except the current contrarian, and continuously confirmed by the Judiciary as the law of our land. It is also provided in the Texas Constitution.

We became the first nation in history that lawfully protects individual freedom of belief. Our visionary Founders knew this independent liberty could not exist without separating government and religion. Consequently, we can celebrate with patriotic pride American individual religious freedom.

Unqualified history deniers and revisionists with self-serving religious agendas intentionally ignore and deceitfully dispute these factual, lawful and historical truths. They are entitled to their ill-conceived opinions, but never to their own facts, law and history.

The noble eagle was selected as our national symbol by the independent-minded Founders. Eagles are free and fearless. You find them one at a time and, unlike submissive species, they do not flock, follow or flee. May all loyal and patriotic Americans honor our American Independence by becoming more like the independent eagle and less like herded sheep.

The very definition of a republic is a nation “…of laws and not of man.” – 2nd President JOHN ADAMS (“Thoughts on Government”, 1776)

“…we were founded as a nation of openness to people of all beliefs. And so we must remain. Our very unity has been strengthened by our pluralism. We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief, nor will we ever. Church and state are and must remain separate. All are free to believe or not believe, all are free to practice a faith or not…” – 40th President RONALD REAGAN (public speech, Valley Stream, New York, 1984)

John Compere

Brigadier General, US Army (Retired), Disabled American Veteran (Vietnam), Military Religious Freedom Foundation Advisory Board Member, retired US judge, retired trial lawyer, and Texas rancher

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