Bill Clinton: “On Independence Day, we celebrate the birth of the first and greatest democracy of the modern era. The ideals embodied…”

“On Independence Day, we celebrate the birth of the first and greatest democracy of the modern era. The ideals embodied by the Declaration of Independence have served as a guide for our nation and as an inspiration for people around the world. This document delineated the very idea of America, that individual rights are derived not from the generosity of the government, but from the hand of the Almighty. The Founders forever abandoned their allegiance to the old European notions of caste and instead dedicated themselves to the belief that all people are created equal. The brilliant men who gathered in Philadelphia 218 years ago to declare our nation's independence risked their honor, their fortunes, and their very lives to create a better future for their children and grandchildren. As the inheritors of freedom's legacy, we owe our liberties to the fact that our Founders saw the need for dramatic change and acted upon it. Today, vast changes are sweeping the globe. Nations that have known only tyranny for centuries are suddenly dedicating themselves to the ideals of freedom and democracy. And wherever freedom is proclaimed, echoes of the American Declaration of Independence can be heard. Thomas Jefferson's words are being spoken in dozens of nations in hundreds of languages. We are justly proud of the influence that our beliefs have had on the world. But the mission of America is far from complete. While the world is filled with opportunity, it is rife with uncertainty.…”