With Liberty & Justice … for all

It’s early Friday morning. My column is due in a few hours. I wrote one last night before going to bed. Today I tucked it in my “Another day” file. The voices woke me up and gave me a new column.

Tomorrow is the 250th Anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence. Oh, the remembrances that will be shared.

I hope our veterans feel appreciated. Many of my friends’ dads fought in World War II. James Williams was one of them. My best friend, Patrice, still shares his stories. May we never forget The Battle of the Bulge, Normandy, Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, and many others. Thousands of lives were lost in Europe, Asia, and the Pacific from 1939 to 1945.  If you’ve never watched Saving Private Ryan, you need to.

My friends, Dan Gamble and Jim Earl, along with my cousin Clay Stinson, fought in Vietnam. Sadly, their return home was not celebrated. It was an unpopular war. The men returned home with battle scars not only on their bodies but also in their minds. Some stories still haunt them. We are truly the land of the free because of the brave.

Today, I am reminded of the speeches by great men who had our entire country’s best interests at heart.

Frederick Douglass said in a speech on July 5, 1852, that the Declaration of Independence had principles, saving principles. He urged his listeners, who paid 12 ½ cents to enter Corinthian Hall, to stand by those principles, on all occasions, in all places, against all foes, at whatever cost. He ended with these words, “I do not despair of this country.” The audience rose in applause. He then continued, “The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful and virtuous.”

Theodore Roosevelt gave a speech that included, “Americanism is a question of principle, of idealism, of character. It is not a matter of birthplace, or creed, or line of descent.” Can I get an “Amen?”

And then there are the words of the Declaration of Independence, mostly written by Thomas Jefferson, which establish the fundamental American ideals of inalienable rights, human equality, and the right to self-governance.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

The Declaration of Independence also includes grievances against King George III and details how he repeatedly violated their rights. The Preamble of the Declaration of Independence outlines the government’s core values, principles, and purposes.

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’” He went on to say, “When we allow freedom to ring – when we let it ring from every city and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing the words of the old Negro Spiritual, Free at last, Free at last, Great God a–mighty, We are free at last.”

“Man’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.” – American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr

“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.” – Author unknown

It was Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, “America is another name for opportunity.”

I was raised with the idea that America is about liberty and justice for all. Not just for those backed by corporate dollars. Not just for those whose voices are louder. Not just for those in power. BUT FOR ALL. Justice looks different when you have had it taken away because of your bank account, color of your skin, religion, or lifestyle.

I am proud to be an American. I never want to take for granted all that comes with it. I know I have a voice. I try to use it well, with kindness and caring. I do not like all the ugliness that is spewed today. Perhaps, if they had mothers like mine who reminded them not to be ugly, they would see things differently and act differently. Injustice is ugly no matter how pretty a package in which you deliver it.

So here I sit, behind the pulpit of my keyboard, and tell you that I have a dream that someday kindness will again find its place in America.

God Bless America and all who call it their home. Thank you to the veterans who served our country. I also need to thank the brave nurses who served.

I’m glad the voices woke me up early this morning. They sure had a lot to say.

Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). She is the recipient of the Reporter’s Spring 2025 Ink-Stained Wretch award. Visit janethartleonard.com.

---

Two decades of ‘Hart’

This month marks 20 years of Janet Hart Leonard writing weekly columns. Even though there have been a few short breaks here and there, this means she has written well over 1,000 columns for readers across the county to enjoy.

Keep it up, Janet! You are the pride of Noblesville!