As I sit here writing this, we are just past the celebration of Independence Day also known as the 4th of July. The original 4th of July of 1776 seems like it was so long ago and yet it was just 237 years ago. A mere minute in the total amount of time that man has been on Earth and even a mere speck in that of the total that our planet has been around.

I am not going to go into a lot of historical info as that is readily available either by books or on the internet (totally unthought of back in those days). What I am going to do is show how Values go hand in hand with Transformation. How the consistency and evolution of these values are paramount to the continuation and fulfillment of Transformation.

The Declaration of Independence one of the most important documents to ever be written is loaded with a multitude of values. In fact, it was because of these values that many were inspired and compelled to face the hardships of what lay ahead on the road to what was hoped to be a better way of life. Let me also mention as an aside, that the Laws are of equal importance but whether you choose to agree with them or not, the Laws are the Laws. Thus, when cited in the document, the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God are indeed valuable. But it is the changing or adopting of specific Values that lead us down that Road less traveled by.

“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal.” and that the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of  happiness should never be violated. It is to these that I will show the evolution of events that are indeed still evolving thru to today.

Due to the Triangular Trade it was quite apparent that values were lost in the quest for making a profit. The Slave Trade was such a major portion of the Triangular Trade. The framers of the Declaration of Independence realized the wrongness of Slavery and the need to correct this practice. But the framers also realized that first things must come first and if they insisted on dealing with slavery at that point that the Declaration would never be unanimously signed and the Revolution would not have occurred. The rest of this part of the story is history as we say and the American Colonies would go on to become the United States.The Eagle must be born first or nothing could follow.

Now let’s jump roughly 100 years to 1860. Slavery could no longer be an issue which could be swept under the carpet. The United States was no longer united and Civil War was in play. Again, much on this is written in the History Books for your research and how ironic that perhaps the greatest battle of the Civil War would occur in a town known as Gettysburg during the 87th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It is here that I want to focus on both President Abraham Lincoln and the famous Gettysburg Address.

Lincoln had resolved to uphold Values. Before he could attempt to set things right, he would need to ensure that he saw things right. His translation of the “Golden Rule” required him to ask himself as to how he would want to be treated. His answer was that since he would not be a slave, he would not wish to be a master. He also realized that there was a difference between what a leader can do or what a leader should do. His passion and his support of values during his administration was to work to preserve the Union and abolish slavery. This would need to be done through laws but also with a high regard for Values. In an excerpt from the famous Gettysburg Address, Lincoln would say Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal  and that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

So now we jump another 100 years and we are right in the throes of the Civil Rights movement. Yes, it was true that the slaves were freed 100 years earlier but because of a lack of values on the part of many the Freed Men were still realizing restrictions. Segregation, discrimination, poverty and exile in their own country. There were many Civil Rights Leaders but perhaps the best known was a Pastor by the name of Martin Luther King Jr.  Dr. King decided to utilize the principles and values that Mohandis Ghandi had used. That was to follow a policy of non violence. The Road was long, with many a winding turn. Suffice to say that over the next 20-30 years drastic change would take place. I include the link to Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” Speech for you to read. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/martin-luther-kings-speech-dream-full-text/story?id=14358231#.UdnjOharMeU   Dr. King would not live to see the fruition of his dreams.

So here we are 237 years from the start of this. 150 years from the Emancipation of the Slaves and 53 years from Civil Rights. Yes, because of Transformation and Values which caused Laws to be changed or created anew, the United States and the effect the process has had on the world continues to evolve. What is next? Clearly it is not necessary to assassinate someone every time change is required.

Repeat after me…and say this several times a day….IF YOU DARE and CARE….

Peace. BB (Bermuda Bob)

Dr. Martin Luther King “I Have a Dream” http://youtu.be/jyR8h9iimw4

Excerpt from the Move “1776”  The Birthing of a Nation…