DANIEL McCLOUD

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.

On July 4, 1776, America declared its independence. The thirteen colonies declared themselves no longer under British rule through the Declaration of Independence. The passage above is one of American history’s most quoted and recited passages. As I write this column, hours after the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to rescind Roe v. Wade, across social media platforms those supporting the ruling are citing the portion of this passage that speaks to the unalienable rights of Life as justification for the verdict.

Again, for many politicians in favor of the Supreme Court decision, guaranteeing certain unalienable rights as “Life” is the primary justification for the Supreme Court’s decision. And while we know that this document excluded African Americans, for the sake of debate, let’s discuss what this meant for non-Blacks. Let’s ponder the question of the exact meaning of the “pursuit of happiness.” Suppose the pursuit of Happiness is viewed as a construct and not a journey, where it is deemed a fundamental right to seek joy and live a life that ensures one’s happiness, without harming others. Does this mean that the individual defines happiness? Or is happiness defined by others, and is only the pursuit guaranteed?

For me, there can be no happiness without the freedom to pursue Happiness. And while this is not an abortion essay, the point is that joy and freedom are often determined by policies and laws created by individuals who have defined these parameters based on their gender, race, ethnicity, biases, and religious beliefs. Including systems designed to subvert, oppress and maintain hierarchies of supremacy.

I argue that documents such as the Declaration of Independence need revisiting, given the hypocrisy at its core and the everchanging landscape of America. It has been 246 years since this declaration. Given that it would be another 87 years following America’s independence before enslaved Blacks would be set free, one can easily see that for many, pursuing happiness tends to take a long time in this country despite the life and liberty that are needed for the journey.