Jefferson and Equality

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and was partially inspired by Rousseau’s ideas of political equality of men and protecting certain fundamental rights. He believed all men had the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He felt all men were created equal and should not be shied away from any of these inalienable rights. Throughout this document Jefferson explains how the King of Great Britain established tyranny over the states by listing the many causes of injuries he inflicted. Jefferson said if the government ever becomes destructive or deprives people of their rights, the people have a right to overthrow or abolish the current government system and institute another.

Overall I like Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence; I think he has many good points and ideas. One of the main statements that sticks in most people’s minds is that men are created equal and have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This is a very popular line. As a matter of fact there was a movie created with the title, The Pursuit of Happyness, which I have mentioned in a previous post. In this movie it just shows how Will Smith spends months trying to become a huge stock broker so he can live a wealthy life and no longer be in poverty. He takes many tests, sits in a classroom learning for hours with no pay, does favors for the big shots, and reads books so he can learn all the tricks and trades of the company. Nothing is handed to him, but he has the ability and opportunity to become this successful stock broker by working hard and striving to be the best. I believe all people should have the opportunity to be happy. They should be able to pursue their dreams, goals, or careers. Nobody should be allowed to take away that freedom as long as the person isn’t inflicting pain onto others or harming another.

Another thing about Jefferson I like is how he lists all the grievances against the King of Great Britain and his tyrant government. By doing this it shows the rights and opportunities people are being deprived of. For example, in time of peace he decided to keep armies, he cut off trade with all parts of the world, and he also imposed taxes with no consent. By doing this the King is not allowing people to live a fulfilled life, one of freedom and happiness. Jefferson feels in times like that, the people have the right to declare themselves a separate nation so they can receive all these equal rights as their fellow neighbors do. I agree with this. When laws and rules are laid down, people should have to follow them but if they are limiting them to certain freedoms they should have the right to overthrow that ruler or government. “He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coast, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people” (80). This is one of the quotes Jefferson uses towards the end of his piece. I feel it is very powerful to show his point that the people have the right to overthrow someone who does these things to them. All people are created equal the leaders or governors are no better then the people they rule over or govern; therefore they should not treat them any different and deprive them of any rights. All people should have the capabilities to succeed and be great if someone tries to stop them from doing so, they should be allowed to defend themselves and fight for their rights!