National governments are for all those who claim to be citizens of such nation. All documents crafted for the purpose of declaring freedom from British rule, unification of American colonies, and the rights of men were written with the spirit of individual rights and national cohesiveness. With that said, the question becomes who is a citizen and what rights shall said citizens be entitled to?
Thomas Jefferson’s argument that natural laws dictate that men should govern men and these rights were not granted on the basis of royal heredity or aristocracy, but are innate and equal to all (Foner 169). Influenced by John Locke, Jefferson’s ideas were considered radical and would become the foundation of American freedom. The purpose of rejecting the crown was to establish a new way of thinking that involved the inclusion of all men, not just the wealthy, the landowners, or the most educated. The movement to separate church and state significantly impacted American’s due to states denouncing their specified religious ties so that citizens may have free exercise to which ever religion they chose (Foner 187). Establishing equality and freedom from tyranny was at the heart of the US Constitution, where choosing a system by which government could be fair and balanced was of the utmost importance (Foner 213).
Again, what citizens had rights, and who was the national government working for? Native Americans were losing their freedom as American’s were gaining theirs. As representatives drew boundary lines and designated areas for where Native American people could live in peace, they were taking the desired land by force and without a democratic process or representation for the Native American people (Foner 196,197). Clearly Americans did not view the natural rights of Native Americans as a significant factor when compared to the price of progress. However, for black slaves the idea of freedom in the Constitution seemed to have the potential to be available to them as well. James Otis, an advocate of equality for all, of Massachusetts, asked “What man is or ever was born free if every man is not?” (Foner 198).
Over time and throughout history our national government has stood to provide an equitable way of life for its citizens, as shown in either specific language or purposefully omitting language in the Constitution that could be interpreted to benefit any one particular class of citizen. There are always those who fear their lifestyle will be affected by the will of the people or who look for potential weakness in the government to exploit for personal gain/profit.
Our national government serves us, but it is up to its citizens to keep opportunist at bay, as well as carry out the energetic language used in the Bill of Rights, Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence.
Bibliography
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty an American History. Volume
One. New York: WW Norton and Company, 2006.
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As you have already said our national government is supposed to protect us as citizens and although we all know that sometimes it doesn't, I agree that it is our responsibility as citizens of this government to use our voices that we are allowed to have and make things right…
And I agree that it is very hard for the minority to be heard like the example of the voices of the Native Americans back when their land was being taken from them because clearly Americans like you mentioned did not care about any so called rights the Native Americans should have. I f only they were given the voice that everyone deserves.
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