“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.–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 affect 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…” (Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson July 4, 1776)

A handful of Mesquite residents showed up for the reading of the Declaration of Independence which began with Connie Foust thanking everyone for attending and expressing the importance of the document which was about to be heard. Photo by Teri Nehrenz.

A handful of Mesquite residents showed up for the reading of the Declaration of Independence which began with Connie Foust thanking everyone for attending and expressing the importance of the document which was about to be heard. Photo by Teri Nehrenz.

These are the words which a handful of Mesquite citizens, both Tea Party affiliates and non-affiliates, chose to hear as they each began their own celebration of the 239th birthday of the United States of America last Saturday in front of City Hall.  They each chose to celebrate the words, the humble nature of the message and the principals that America was created on. These citizens began their celebration by listening to the reading of The Declaration of Independence. “There’s no better way to begin celebrating the birth of our country,” said Bill Foust, husband of Tea Party President Connie Foust. “I don’t care if it’s just me, you and Connie; it contains a message that needs and deserves to be read and heard.”

Connie Foust said, “I worry about this every year, will people show up…it’s so important to us as American citizens to hear this and be informed about what principals we set as the standard for our country’s beginnings and to hear our constitution, listen to what it stands for and to defend it’s word.  Last year we had forty or so but perhaps the weather kept some away.  We try to do this at this early hour to beat the heat…”

Tea Party supporters Vicki Oliver and Bobbie Green are very angry at the state of the nation.  They feel that the government is far out of control, corrupt and America needs to wake up, smell the coffee and act NOW.

Both Oliver and Green are realists, they implore the American public to get involved, their affiliation can stand with either party or independent, it doesn’t matter who you are to get involved, it just matters that you care about upholding the constitution and being involved with one political party over another has no bearing on the Tea Party movement.  “We’re just a bunch of people who care about our government, the constitution of these United States and our liberties,” said Oliver while Green agreed.

Milt Riley, Mesquite Tea Party affiliate, gave a reading of the Declaration of Independence in front of Mesquite City Hall on the morning of America’s 239th birthday, July 4, 2015 while Connie Foust, Mesquite Tea Party President, listened intently in the background. Photo by Teri Nehrenz.

Milt Riley, Mesquite Tea Party affiliate, gave a reading of the Declaration of Independence in front of Mesquite City Hall on the morning of America’s 239th birthday, July 4, 2015 while Connie Foust, Mesquite Tea Party President, listened intently in the background. Photo by Teri Nehrenz.

Green went on to explain that most people aren’t informed about what is going on in Washington, our schools no longer teach “Government” classes because they don’t want an informed public but that’s just one of the reasons we need for Americans to wake up and take some action and why events like the Reading of the Declaration of Independence are so important.  It enables the public to understand what we fought for and against in the very beginning and how our government is turned into the very same creature we escaped from in the first place. “In developing the constitution we guaranteed American citizens certain rights and the present people in office and those in office prior have little by little over the last several decades etched away our liberties, our rights to the pursuit of happiness and our equality.  “They have stolen our rights as Americans and as Americans it is our responsibility to defend those rights and now is the time to take America back!” said Oliver

Both women will be taking a hard long look at the present candidates and urge citizens to do the same.  “We’ve got a whole year to scrutinize the candidates and choose the best, believe us, we’ll be looking real hard, we can’t afford not to,” the two women agreed.

Debbie and Sammy Fergus are two of the non-affiliate supporters who feel that the reading of the

Debbie and Sammie Fergus, though not Tea Party affiliates, attended the reading of the Declaration of Independence which was hosted by Mesquite Tea Party President Connie Foust and held in front of Mesquite City Hall the morning of July 4, 2015. Photo by Teri Nehrenz.

Debbie and Sammie Fergus, though not Tea Party affiliates, attended the reading of the Declaration of Independence which was hosted by Mesquite Tea Party President Connie Foust and held in front of Mesquite City Hall the morning of July 4, 2015. Photo by Teri Nehrenz.

Declaration of Independence and the principals it is based on is one message that every American should hear and support. “After all,” said Debbie Fergus, “I think this is a tremendous blessing and I count this as a privilege that we still live in a free country that allows us to come together like this to pray and remember that God blessed us with this country.”

Everybody, no matter their station in life or political affiliation, who was in attendance on July 4, 2015 at the reading of the Declaration of Independence, had two things in common:

  1. They all believe with all their hearts in the Constitution of the United States of America.
  2. Each one of them chose to begin the celebration of the birth of these United States remembering and celebrating the words and the principals this great nation was built on; they were not large in numbers but they are all large in the love they share for our country and their dedication to defend the words and principals of our constitution.

“…We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.” (Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, July 4, 1776)