Declaration of Interdependence

In celebration of the Independence Day of this great nation, the words of our forefathers are recalled to inspire a look beyond our independence and at our interdependences:

“When 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….”

Their words have stood the test of time. Is it advisable now, however, to consider not just the Independence they declared, but also our Interdependence as implied in their references to our equality, our relationship to the ”Laws of Nature” and our “unalienable Rights”?

In the original Declaration, our forefathers brought charges against King George III, which demonstrated his violation of the rights of the colonists (subjects/citizens – depending on what articles you’ve been reading this week). Free of the monarchy, we now live in a society where big business and government create grounds for updated charges.

If we were to amend the Declaration to detail unalienable rights such as life, liberty and pursuit of happiness infringed upon today by various political and corporate powers, what would the updated charges entail?

Environmental discrimination, disruption of fragile ecosystems, widespread deforestation, depletion of resources, pollution, social injustices, and many more might be among the list of accusations.

What “charges” do you think should be added to a 2010 Declaration of Interdependence that could bring focus to our connectedness, while remaining cognizant of the beneficial role political systems and businesses play in our complex society?