“The American Revolution began as a unique movement as revolutions went in the 18th century. Its basic issues were not material but spiritual. As Jefferson perceived and Lincoln proclaimed, it was to be a revolution unbounded by geographical limitations—it declared the spiritual rights of all men, everywhere.”
Our Quote of the Week helps us to reflect on the founding principles of the United States. As we mark the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, may we pause to remember that those principles, the protection of civil liberties and the right to self governance, must be upheld for all of us.
Sargent Shriver spoke these words in 1963 as he addressed the Chicago chapter of the Federal Bar Association. An attorney by profession, Shriver often appeared at legal gatherings to call his peers to service. In this case, he encourages his audience to consider the Peace Corps, and he shares the ways in which attorneys have successfully worked on special projects, including studies of the US Constitution in developing nations wishing to develop more modern policies.
Shriver begins the speech by saying:
“There is no question facing America more important than whether we can successfully regain the leadership of our own revolution.”
He posits that the American ideals of liberty and independence have beenn admired internationally, but that in the meantime, the US had strayed from those ideals. He observes:
“In one sense, our affluence has become a handicap, (unconsciously) alienating us from most of the people in the world who are miserably poor, creating deep divisions at home between the insulated majority that is well off and the isolated minority that barely subsists, and burying the deeper meanings of our society beneath a pile of glittering chrome and steel. We have been in danger of losing ourselves among the motorized toothbrushes, tranquilizers, and television commercials.”
Sargent Shriver’s words still resonate today. May we guard against the tendency to favor unfettered wealth to the detriment of those “who barely subsist.” May we protect the rights and liberties of all who step foot on our soil. And may we have the courage to create the free and equitable society to which our founders aspired.
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