July 9, 2019 Issue, Page 4 of 8

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 Reflections on our nation’s founding The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City To celebrate the Fourth of July weekend, we offer excerpts from several speeches highlighting the moral prin- ciples that guided the United States’ creation and the need to continually defend them. President Ronald Reagan -- delivered July 4, 1986, aboard the USS John F. Kennedy in New York Harbor For just a moment, let us listen to the words again: “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.” Last night when we rededicated Miss Liberty and relit her torch, we reflected on all the millions who came here in search of the dream of freedom inaugurated in Independence Hall. We reflected, too, on their courage in coming great distances and settling in a foreign land and then passing on to their children and their children’s children the hope symbolized in this statue here just behind us: the hope thatis America. It is a hope that someday every people and every nation ofthe world will Two welcome decisions by Supreme Court know the blessings of liberty. .» Believe me, if there’s one impression I carry with me after the privilege of holding for 5 1/2 years the office held by Adams and Jefferson and Lincoln, it is this: that the things that unite us -- America’s past of which we're so proud, our hopes and aspirations for the future of the world and this much-loved country -- these things far outweigh The Oklahoman, Oklahoma First Amendment's establish- official recognition of that eral law banning “immoral” what little divides us. And so tonight we reaffirm that Jew City ment clause. religion’s paramountcy.” But trademarks was too broad, and gentile, we are one nation under God; that black and ‘Those opposed to the cross Justice Samuel Alito, writ- and in a concurring opin- white, we are one nation indivisible; that Republican and The U.S. Supreme Court made their claim even though ing for the majority, found Democrat, we are all Americans. Tonight, with heart and handed down several rulings the markings on the cross otherwise. ion Alito said this decision hand, through whatever trial and travail, we pledge our- in the days before its summer are not religiously themed, “A government that roams doesn’t keep Congress from selves to each other and to the cause of human freedom, the recess. These included a nod no religious ceremonies are the land, tearing down monu- passing “a more carefully cause that has given light to this land and hope to the world. to common sense and reli- held on the grounds, and the ments with religious symbol- focused statute.” Martin Luther King Jr. -- “The American Dream,” deliv- gious freedom, and a defense park where the memorial sits ism and scrubbing away any But Kagan cited examples ered July 4, 1965, at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta ofthe First Amendment, includes other memorials that reference to the divine will “You see, the Founding Fathers were really influenced never bad things. honor those lost in military strike many as aggressively of questionable decisions with by the Bible. The whole concept of the imago dei, as it is ex- The former involved a conflicts, such as a Pearl hostile to religion,” Alito trademarks. Among them: pressed in Latin, the ‘image of God,’ is the idea that all men World War I monument Harbor memorial and a 9/11 wrote. Amen to that. “You Can’t Spell Health- have something within them that God injected. Not that they erected in Bladensburg, memorial garden. ‘The Supreme Court, in a care Without THC” (denied have substantial unity with God, but that every man has a ‘Maryland, in 1925 by the Alower court in Maryland 6-3 ruling, also struck down a trademark protection) and capacity to have fellowship with God. And this gives him a American Legion to honor found that the monument ban on trademarking words uniqueness, it gives him worth, it gives him dignity. And we men from that area who gave wasn’t an unconstitutional and symbols considered “im- “Say No To Drugs” (granted must never forget this as a nation: there are no gradations their lives in the war. The establishment of religion, but moral” or “scandalous.” trademark protection). in the image of God.” monument, 40 feet tall, was in 2017 a three-judge panel of The case involved a cloth- Existing law violates the “All men are created equal, and they are endowed by privately built on land the city the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court ing designer who wanted to First Amendment's guarantee their Creator with certain inalienable rights, rights that gave to the American Legion of Appeals ruled otherwise. trademark a phrase that we of free speech, Kagan wrote, can’t be separated from you. Go down and tell them, (No) post. The nation’s highest court, in won't use in a family news- “You may take my life, but you can’t take my right to life. ‘The parcel is owned today aruling joined by seven jus- paper. Justice Elena Kagan, because “it disfavors certain You may take liberty from me, but you can’t take my right by a local government com- tices, came down on the side in writing for the majority, ideas.” to liberty. You may take from me the desire, you may take mission and serves as a traffic ofthe original judge. chose to note that it’s been These two decisions should from me the propensity to pursue happiness, but you can’t roundabout. The monument is Justice Ruth Bader Gins- described as “'the equivalent be welcomed by Americans. take from me my right to pursue happiness.’ (Yes) ‘We hold in the shape of a cross, which burg argued that the world’s of (the) past participle form these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal prompted a lawsuit alleg- principal symbol of Christian- ofa well-known word of pro- fanity.” And the fact each was made and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable ing the monument endorses ity “should not loom over pub- by an ideological mix of the Rights and among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of religion and thus violates the lic thoroughfares, suggesting All the justices said the fed- court is a bonus. Happiness.” President Calvin Coolidge -- comments delivered July 5, 1926, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Decla- ration of Independence “Tn its main features the Declaration of Independence is a At OU, some good news itual document. It is a declaration not of material but of spiritual conceptions. Equality, liberty, popular sov- ereignty, the rights of man: These are not elements which we can see and touch. They are ideals. They have their after a rough patch source and their roots in the religious convictions. They be- long to the unseen world. Unless the faith of the American people in these religious convictions is to endure, the prin- ciples of our Declaration will perish. We cannot continue to enjoy the result if we neglect and abandon the cause.” “It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776, that we have had new thoughts and The Oklahoman, Oklahoma noted that OU faced major against him he agreed to al debt has been eliminated. new experiences which have given us a great advance over City financial challenges. The uni- cut ties with the school. He And, faculty and staff will see the people of that day, and that we may therefore very well versity was nearly $1 billion gave up the title of president abit more in their paychecks discard their conclusions for something more modern. But It’s been a long spring and in debt, Gallogly said, and its emeritus, his campus office, -- arecommended 3% bump that reasoning cannot be applied to this great charter. If early summer at the Univer- expenses were outstripping won't teach and can’t speak all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed sity of Oklahoma, which has revenues by roughly $36 mil- on behalf of the school. on average for eligible Nor- with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive dealt the resignation of its lion per year. Amid all this have been man staff. (Staff hadn’t seen a their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is president, the excommunica- He cut programs, facili- complaints about the ad- pay raise in five years.) final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these tion of his popular predeces- ties and staff while keeping ministration’s handling of OU faculty in Norman propositions.” sor and concerns about racial tuition flat and reworking the some race-related incidents received raises of 2.6% earlier “Our forefathers came to certain conclusions and decided tensions. But a few bits of budget to try to stabilize the involving students, and calls upon certain courses of action which have been a great good news have emerged. university’s finances. But Gal- to change how OU handles this year; a boost in funding blessing to the world. Before we can understand their OU’s regents voted last logly stepped down in May, allegations of sexual miscon- from the Legislature will al- conclusions we must go back and review the course which week not to increase tuition after just 10 months on the job duet. low for an additional increase. they followed. ... Their intellectual life centered around the and fees, freezing rates for a and amid a public feud with Harroz said after his ap- Harroz and the regents’ meeting-house. They were intent upon religious worship. second straight year, and to former OU President David pointment by the regents that chair thanked lawmakers and ~» While scantily provided with other literature, there was provide pay raises to faculty Boren. one of his priorities would be Gov. Kevin Stitt for increased awide acquaintance with the Scriptures. ... They were a and staff. The university also Boren had spent nearly 24 to continue to pursue efficien- people who came under the influence of a great spiritual is on firmer footing financially years as president and was cies and improve OU’s finan- appropriation, with Harroz development and acquired a great moral power. than it has been in some time. highly popular. However, cial standing. The fiscal year noting that improved pay is “No other theory is adequate to explain or comprehend “The progress this univer- after retiring he became the 2020 budget reflects success critical to attracting high- the Declaration of Independence. It is the product of the sity has made in the past year subject of a sexual harass- in that area. quality faculty. spiritual insight of the people. We live in an age of science is significant,” said Joe Har- ment investigation by OU The regents say recurring ‘And, now in particular, it and of abounding accumulation of material things. These roz, OU’s interim president. related to his time in office. costs on the Norman campus did not create our Declaration. Our Declaration created When he took over as presi- Boren has denied the allega- have been cut by $50 million helps provide some salve for them. The things of the spirit come first.” dent in 2018, James Gallogly tions, but to end OU’s action and the university’s structur- acampus that can use it.