The Meaning of Independence Day - Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights

[chrisdelano64]

Just as flawed as all right wing arguments.Facts littered with lies and diseptions so as to seem as if reason had been spoke rather than the mission statement they are pushing.The founding fathers owned slaves but created the principals that freed them. Independence for all men, they just were not men yet. As if there were no law in the new born nation not to mention community. We made it because they worked together. If a man were to do everything himself, nothing would ever get done.Face facts

[JSprayaEntertainment]

Fireworks made in china ... More debt made in the united ... Backwards = det in u , debt in you ... Spending billions on war , but tax us ?

[MikeDUtah]

Great video EXCEPT the Founders DID recognize God as superior to man and the giver of rights.

You are free to espouse your ideas and even reject God but please do not lie about what our Founders believed.

[JanColdwater]

It is my opinion that Independence Day is a human need and should be recognized as such as it is time to evolve past the divisions placed in our minds, discovering a new kind of liberty that we can continue to build on.

[Jimmyjumpnjive]

Party up!

[holypig777]

Really Ayn Rand you moron then why didn't they write endowed by their "Individual mind" with certain unalienable rights. Typical God -hating pseudo-atheist trying to rewrite history. You are no better then the Liberals you speak against. We REAL AMERICANS don't need revisionist undercover liberals playing like you love America - we all know you don't so take your God-hating Individual mind and stick it where Obama keeps his Individual mind -- hint the sun doesn't shine there.

[popGoesAnthony]

to nbke4c1 , eww yr poor mom musta raised a real dumb hater n hick filled un aborted loozer eww yr such a f sicko dummy olozwer with yr anti obama hate , i pity loozers n dumb holes like u n yr mommy..

[calonso69]

SPAIN HELPED USA TO HIS INDEPENDENCE!

[OverseerJTSC]

President Obama is no different from the previous presidents. Previous presidents have ruined and taken advantage of the liberties of the american people. Where those who take office after them have to correct things from the previous leadership. So who are we to blame the present for the past mishaps. We should be happy when someone new takes the office of the president. All we can do is hope that they will make a change in office that will lead to life liberty and pursuit of happiness.

[ked13]

Thanks for the insights, but how do you rationalize the "no authority greater than reason" not even God. I would say God's power surpasses anyone's reason, in the end.

[deadpool03mm]

And yet, ironically, Ayn Rand was not an American and had no right to speak about the principals of this country.

[sleedolfine15]

@deadpool03mm Actually Ayn Rand became a US citizen on March 13,1931. She died in 1982,so she was an American citizen for 51 years.

[deadpool03mm]

she was also born in 1905. All of the leftist figures like Emma Goldman who came from basically identical backgrounds as Rand were constantly demonized as foreign invaders by the American right but some hatchet faced bitch with the audacity to show up and lecture us on the real "American way" gets the red carpet treatment from American conservatives..

[sleedolfine15]

@deadpool03mm I don't think that Rand ever got the red carpet treatment from American conservatism. The premier conservative magazine in America,National Review,has been critical of her philosophy. Read Whitaker Chamber's scathing 1957 review of Atlas Shrugged in the pages of that magazine--understandable in light of Rand's militant atheism & antagonism to altruism & tradition.Also read Jason Lee Steorts' "The Greatly Ghastly Rand"(NR,8/30/10)to read an undated conservative critique of Rand.

[Blufftonbabe]

@deadpool03mm

Check your facts. She was an American citizen for over 50 years.

That she was a patriot and loved this country came through on the over 1000 pages of Atlas Shrugged I have read. Maybe research before you make your "intelligent" comments.

[wedgewood578]

Independence is a crock of shit! Some people get credit for it, but, they are really just the biggest ass kissers on the planet. All we can do is keep trying.

[AtlasShruggery]

Sadly, Ayn Rand groupies like Alan Greenspan didn't Go Galt before they wrecked the US economy.

[TruthObeysNobody]

Obama is evil

[OverseerJTSC]

@TruthObeysNobody if Obama is evil then those that vored for him is evil also. So it's ok to add if your neighbor voted for him they are evil too. Better yet lets say 600million voter were evil that put him in office. WOW where can you run?

[Sargatanas1337]

Here's the kicker...The war of independence was fought between the British and......The British.

[rcharleskimzey]

@Sargatanas1337 No. Fought by Americans,and the British.

[Sargatanas1337]

I think you'll find, the population of america at that point in time was British, the British were trying to gain independence from the British

[wolfang111]

How come this country has suddenly was independant!?

[UnionoftheBrits]

why can't americans on this page accept a bit of criticism? in fact, i wasnt even criticizing them. all i was saying was they were not the greatest nation on earth, because they are NOT. im not saying i hate them, or evn dislike them, but for a nation tothink they are better than others, is just wrong, plain and simple.

[dannidandannikins]

A1: (to UnionoftheBrits)

America clearly IS the greatest country, not just today but of all time. With 5% of the global population they produce something like 20% of global economic output. They produce more than 6* as much scientific output than Japan (which is the second most scientifically productive country). American culture is pinnacle that the entire globe aspires to (apart from the savages who seek a world of islamic totalitarianism or enviro-marxism).

[dannidandannikins]

A2: (to UnionoftheBrits)

Add on the fact that American military power is what ultimately delivered the world from German and Japanese imperialism in WW2 and then from the USSR afterwards. Consider that America has never invaded another country for conquest, consider that since WW2 the American military has only ever been deployed to help repel invasions.

Consider all that and tell me how you can say that America is anything less than the greatest country of all time.

A brit.

[DickeyRogers]

america was the greatest country. now our country is great like the empire of rome was great.

[rcharleskimzey]

@DickeyRogers No. Better, we will last.

[hagopovski]

well america is the greatest nation in the world depending from which angle you look at the countries status ;)

[rcharleskimzey]

@UnionoftheBrits Who is the greatist nation? I'm not saying we are the best, but no countries can compete with the level of freedom in America. Don't say we are fat, and stupid. We're not. That's how we became America, and now we have the strongest military in the world. Not opinion.

[GunOwnerDan]

"Today we need a nation of minute men; citizens who are not only prepared to take up arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as a basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom. The cause of liberty, the cause of American, cannot succeed with any lesser effort."

- President John F. Kennedy, January 29, 1961

A-HUMAN-RIGHT . com

[RebelliousPatriot]

@GunOwnerDan great quote

[baghdadi1979]

From Iraq/Baghdad, and on behalf on all my fellow Irakis, I hope a happy 4th of july day to all Americans and God Bless uncle Sam's sons who brought freedom and libration to all the suffering nations all over the world! GOD BLESS AMERICA

[UnionoftheBrits]

I WOULDNT SAY THEY BROUGHT FREEDOM TO ALL THE SUFFERING NATIONS OF THE WORLD. in fact, i dont think theyve brought it to a single one yet.

not that im insulting the americans.

merely stating a fact.

[Anakha13]

"merely stating a fact."

You spelled gratuitous assertion wrong.

[1337melee]

America brought freedom to Japan. Sure, the Japanese had to see where their expansionist policies were leading them and ultimately build the great country which Japan is today, but if America had not defeated them, they all would have continued to sacrifice their lives in service of the Emperor forever.

[ben5017]

Hopefully a leader will arrise with the mentality of Ron Paul with the actions of Vladimere Lenin to put the treasonous in charge down where they belong ... I am a Freeman, but if you read the 14th amendment, the govt calls you a "subject".

Subject status is slavery!

[ralphieboogerbottoms]

When was the last time the words "Republic of Individual Rights" was even mentioned by ANY political candidate in office?

[MishuTaste]

I agree with Dr. Berliner about not sacrificing our minds to race. However, I feel that minority groups in America have been forced to protest for collective rights because they were denied employment and educational opportunities by their state governments. If your government discriminates against you because of your race (even though you provide tax revenue), what can you do?

[1337melee]

If you are oppressed by the government because of your race, you should show how such oppression is a violation of individual rights. This principle, properly understood, is a much more powerful weapon than "black rights" or "woman's rights" or any other collectivist, or possibly collectivist notion.

[artcatkali]

I love this country !

[xTjPx]

Obama is Evil.

he makes W look good.

[Chrisnoscrub047]

No he doesn't.  they are both terrible.

[engine2truck6]

Obama is FAR more dangerous. He is a master of concept-smuggling.

[squaretriangle]

Bush was a mediocrity (Mouch).  Obama is satan.

[Kyoshi71]

Brilliant...But if Obama wins, it's all gone.

[jnycnuk]

obama is your only hope, and even if he wins he's got a mountain of debt and a nation of poor to deal with.

guns... hmm... what an interesting choice of words, perhaps appeasing right wing extremists.

[Kyoshi71]

Only a left-wing extremist with no regard for the constitution would relate the words "guns" and "right-wing"

[jnycnuk]

kyoshi: the constitution is what the people make it. it has been amended many times to suit the nations needs. it is the right wing gun nuts (in the USA only) that believe it is their god given right to have a gun.

[Kyoshi71]

WRONG AGAIN. The constitution was created by the Founding Fathers who believed in God but by no means inferred that the rights created were God given. Amendments are interpretation of the constitution based on the supposed mindset of the founding fathers; not radical changes in law to satisfy modern trends.

[jnycnuk]

kyoshi: if the constitution is not for the benefit of the people who is it suppose to benefit? i don't believe in god so nothing is god given. things never remain static. if you believe that the world can be governed forever by rules made a few hundred years ago you are sadly mistaken.

[hapspir]

jnycnuk, the purpose of the Constitution is to protect individual rights by limiting government. To suggest that our rights are subject to the approval of society is to claim that we have no rights at all. A free person needs no permission from anyone to exercise a right. The Constitution can be amended in order to better protect our rights, not to take them away.

[jnycnuk]

hapspir: A constitution is a document that lays out the highest level of rules involved in forming a government. a framework from which to begin governing. amendments to the constitution are added as required.

[hapspir]

Yes, but the framers of the Constitution intentionally made it very difficult to amend. The reason for this being that they didn't want it fiddled with on a whim. Considering the example of alcohol prohibition, I'd say it's not hard enough. But nowadays the Constitution is becoming more and more meaningless as the federal government assumes more and more power over our lives. They can do this because we have forgotten that the responsibility of enforcing it is ours.

[jnycnuk]

hapspir: the masses must keep it's gov't in check. the gov't must keep the masses safe.

[Nadow]

"the gov't must keep the masses safe. "

Thats the whole starting claim of dictatorship and fascism at last. "It's all because your security".

If the price of doing so it's taking away my rights and becoming a groveling citizen, I'would say instead...Give me a gun (or let me buy one) and I'll protect my rights myself if the government is useless!!!

[jnycnuk]

nadow: the first part of my comment,"the masses must keep the gov't in check".

[nbke4c1]

Obama is the poster child for collectivism and socialism. If allowed, he will destroy our country.

[jnycnuk]

nbke: i have to disagree. while democrats are seen as leaning further to the left than republicans, neither the party nor Obama would survive in the political world very long if either were to take an extreme left wing stance

[dudeman5790]

not at first.

[southafricanking]

You're right!

[SCHEISSNICK0815]

@nbke4c1

Destroy your country? Do you actually know what these terms stand for?

[nbke4c1]

@SCHEISSNICK0815 Yes.

[swifttallon]

@nbke4c1 IMPEACH NOW!!!!

[wedgewood578]

@swifttallon What are you? A democrat or something?

[OverseerJTSC]

@swifttallon naw send the throops to your house...

[wedgewood578]

@nbke4c1 We haven't had a democrat since Roosevelt. You should consider yourselves lucky!

[sleedolfine15]

@wedgewood578 Actually,I think the last real democrat was Grover Cleveland.

[OverseerJTSC]

@nbke4c1 wait on the facts and outcome first..... before you past judgement.

[fntime]

@nbke4c1 It's not Obama, it's the public, who want to be deceived!

Obama is what you get when you think ethics is not important, when

you think liberty is license and the education guild teaches that

self reliance, hard work and the those who produce are the enemy.

[Sparrowhawk2000]

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

-- Thomas Jefferson

[Nelapidae]

Two hundred and thirty-two years of the United States of America being in existence!

Heres to two hundred and thirty-two more! And may the next two and a half centuries be as free as or freer than the previous!

The United States of America is the greatest nation on the face of the Earth and the greatest experiment in political science that has ever existed. Individual rights! Reason! Reality! Our enemies, foreign and domestic, be damned...we're here to stay!

Happy July 4th, 2008!

[UnionoftheBrits]

greatest nation on earth?

i doubt it.

most of the greatest events to happen on this planet happened in europe, and i think all america holds claim to is the moon landing.

[HapaLife]

What an ignorant statement. Europe was once glorious, but is now a backwater.

[DickeyRogers]

what, europe was a bunch of warlords and peons who got raped by the warlords.

[tct480]

I agree with you even if the country is falling apart.

[Aotommo]

Excellent speech! I couldn't have said it better myself.

Also, I find it rather intriguing that the opponents of this view tend to use emptyspeak, to coin a portmanteau in the vein of George Orwell, as a rhetorical device in opposition, rather than a rational argument. Then again, when reason itself is diametrically opposed to your claims, I suppose emptyspeak is all you've got.

[TyMillsTube]

Excellent, and thats coming from a dirty Canuck like me. I dont even care about Canada day - tommorow Im celebrating Independence.

And hypnolinks - I doubt that you even understand what moral principles are - and the fact that America was founded on a moral principle, on an ideal is exceptional - its unlike every other shitty country in the world (including Canada) that cant grasp simple ideas like individual rights.

[hypnolinks]

This speech said nothing.

Sigh.

Another ARI crackpot.

[Aotommo]

I think you ought to view this speech again, with a far less narrow mind this time, if you really think it said nothing.

[freezzertime]

Amazing...why dont we hear this everyday?

[zardozcs]

This is the independence day message I've been looking for. May Reason Bless America once again.

[PaulMcKeever]

Bravo! Another great ARI op-ed but, better yet, one that exploits, much better than previous ARI vids, the possibilities of visual content.

It'll be on my facebook page in a minute or two.

Thanks Michael.

[marneedear]

Happy Independence Day!

[Sarrisan98]

Great words, and a great video. Thank you ARI for its production.

[qtronman]

Great video! Happy Independence Day!

[chris3443]

Excellent video.

[RodCornholio]

Best video on youtube!

[legendre007]

Fantastic! This is my favorite ARI video op-ed so far. The visuals of the American flag and the Statute of Liberty were a great touch. I hope that ARI's future video op-eds utilize similar visual aids (for instance, when discussing antitrust, the video might show those mean-spirited editorial cartoons depicting John D. Rockefeller that statists drew in the late 1800s). :-)

[marneedear]

Totally!

[lostntranslatn]

beautiful.

[EverPsyPgh1]

RIGHT ON!  NOT LEFT!! I sent a similar one to a Democrat in the past, and their response was not to affirm, but to criticize the faulty lip-sync...

[nprovenzo]

Well Done. Happy Independence Day!

[charlessmyth]

Well said. Good video.