JULY 2021
RIVERTON REVIEW Official Newsletter of the Riverton, Utah City Government
MAYOR’S MESSAGE
“All Men Are Created Equal” By Mayor Trent Staggs 245 years ago, the American spirit was born, memorialized in the unanimous Declaration that was signed by 56 representatives of not subjective colonies, but rather from united, “free and independent states.” The revolutionary beliefs stated in this magnificent document, declared 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.” These rights are given to us by nature of our birth and existence into this world, and not conditioned or bestowed upon us by government. Governments are instituted to protect these unalienable rights, with their just powers bestowed upon them with the consent from us, the governed.
the flame of the American spirit. Assuredly, one can look at our Rather, let us rally together, proud history and point to instances of the fact that “…we are the heirs where we have struggled to of that first revolution…”, as JFK ensure the equal protection of said in his inaugural address. these unalienable rights. Slavery, Recognizing that we are all restricting the right to vote, endowed by and other our Creator discriminatory with the same practices rights and tied to one’s seeking out gender, “Slavery, restricting the happiness race, faith, or right to vote, and other in this most orientation that blessed would infringe discriminatory practices country. There on these Godtied to one’s gender, race, is far more that given rights faith, or orientation that unites us than has no place in would infringe on these divides us. It American life is not hard to or law. God-given rights has no see the good place in American life in this country: We must or law.” we have be careful, fought for the however, not protection and to focus on maintenance each other’s of freedom immutable around characteristics the world, we remain the most and emphasize our differences. If charitable country and there is we tear each other down based no other nation on the planet that on political beliefs, half-truths or embraces diversity like we do. perceived slights, it can extinguish
RIVERTON REVIEW | JULY 2021
Notwithstanding this diversity of race, religion, or ideology, if we can all unify around one American culture or spirit espoused in our Declaration, that unity can give us unconquerable strength. We the people have come a long way to perpetuate the founding ideal that every individual is born with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, which is often defined as the right to own and control property. I believe that more so than at any other time in our history, that happiness or American dream is attainable by anyone willing to work towards its pursuit and “catch up with it” as Benjamin Franklin once said. This 4th of July offers a new opportunity to remember our humble beginnings, unite and once again be proud to be an American. Let us all regrow a sense of patriotism, love and devotion towards this divine nation. No doubt, we will have additional challenges to face but together we can conquer them all.
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