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The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

hen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.

[edit on 4-10-2008 by watcher1960]

Throughout the history of mankind, mechanisms of governance have been created and, notably, destroyed. In comparison to the times, the Roman Empire was more powerful and had a greater sphere of influence than any country that we see today - yet - it has gone.

I have no doubt that the prevailing thought at any period of time is one of *permanence* and we console and distract ourselves with dealing with the tribulations of our every day lives - the traffic tail backs on our journey to work, housekeeping budgets, fuel costs, military jurisdiction, the gap between our perception of democracy and the efforts of our "free world" governments.

The fact is, technologically speaking our world will have changed considerably in 500 years, even more so in a 1000 year period - however - human kind will still suffer from the symptoms of bad leadership and ineffective governance.

For all our technology, we are still just "out of the trees" and as a species will suffer from our ancestral limitations for the rest of our existence. In the great scheme of things, the current financial problems are simply ripples. Life will go on, the predicted "Armageddon" is one of context. Think how the economy was ruined for the Britons when the Romans decided to vacate.

In spite of this, we're still here. We will be here long after these current events - not necessarily wiser but hopefully more aware that our problems are of our own making.

So watcher1960:

Is it time yet?

a reply to: ATS4dummies

YES