A Vision Achieved From Jefferson Essay Research

Paper A Vision Achieved Jefferson envisioned a government that allowed its citizens to exercise inalienable rights. In exact words, he states, 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. To be more evident, how can we define these inalienable rights of life , liberty , and the pursuit of happiness? Have these inalienable rights, achieved Jefferson s goal? I am convinced, Jefferson s revolutionary vision of life, liberty, and happiness has at last been achieved in America. Life is a precious gift given to us the moment we are born and Thomas Jefferson knew this. We can define life as having respect for ourselves and others, accepting our individuality, not judging certain groups or individuals, and being able to exercise our morals and beliefs. Living in America, we are allowed to live these rights of life . The United States has become a very diverse nation. In being so diverse, the lives and beliefs of many different cultures here in America are accepted. One major example, is religion. Jews and Arabs, who are enemies in there Jammal 2 countries, live in the United States in harmony. Another example are the Muslims and Hindu s, who hate and kill each other in their countries, and yet can live in America side by side in peace because of Thomas Jefferson s vision of Life . I come from a very diverse background. My father, who is a Palestinian, married my mother, who is Guatemalan. This issue here is that my father, living the life of following his own cultural beliefs and not being able to marry unless a wife is chosen for him, went on to marry my mother. This is easily attainable in the United States but in his country it would be unacceptable. Life is complicated! Our values, morals, and attitudes justify our lives and how we live our life. Freedom of slavery, captivity, or any other form of arbitrary control can help define the right of Liberty . We have the right to not feel confined, but permitted to act freely. My Grandfather, who lived in Guatemala, was shot, by guerrilla terrorists, because of his political beliefs and defending his homestead. Today, we the people, have the right to speak freely, express our most intimate thoughts on political or even sexual preferences without being shot or even having the fear of being shot. A great example of Liberty was displayed by Martin Luther King. He was the greatest leader of the black movement in the 50 s and 60 s. If it wasn t for Thomas Jefferson s idea of the inalienable right of Liberty , Martin Luther King Jammal 3 would have never have had the chance to lead his people to freedom with the same idea. The Constitution of the United States has been the supreme law of this nation since 1788. It is a system of fundamental laws and defines distinct powers for the Congress of the United States, the president, and the federal courts. This division of authority is known as a system of checks and balances, and it ensures that none of the branches of government can dominate the others. The Constitution also establishes and limits the authority of the federal government over the states and spells out freedoms and liberties for American citizens. There are no longer slaves in America, we are not held captive, and we are not under any control that takes away our liberty, or freedom. Our history and past leaders have lead us, the people of America, to our rights of Liberty today. It is the right for every individual to achieve their own happiness. This was Thomas Jefferson s greatest ideal. IT is through this ideal that the individual in America has become a productive and responsible citizen. When a human being has found true happiness it is at this level that he is at his best. For example, I find happiness within myself when I am focused on my goals and ultimately achieve them. It is then, that I feel that I need to be a more responsible citizen and give to the community, or society what I am also achieving in my own life. I dedicate time to others who are not as fortunate as Jammal 4 myself. Another example in history, was Mr. Thomas Jefferson himself. His pursuit of happiness was achieved by declaring his own independence and sharing his ideals of the pursuit of Happiness for the future of America in the Declaration of Independence. We all find happiness in different ways. The first place to truly find happiness is within ourselves and when we do, we can pursue anything. A vision, seen by Jefferson, of having a government that allows us to exercise our right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness has been accomplished. We live in the only country, where our inalienable rights and freedoms, are justified and followed by our Constitution. Jefferson authored one of the most memorable statements in American history: the Declaration of Independence. From this, he took the first step of speaking his vision and leading, us citizens, to the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.