Altar of Liberty

“We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

I was quite taken by the reference to the "altar of liberty" alluded to in President Bush's speech last night on January 10. I started thinking about that altar, and I decided it would look like the awe-inspiring repository of the Constitution at the at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., pictured above. The words inscribed on the altar surely would be the famous words from the Declaration of Independence, which is quoted under the picture.

My heart was proud with the sacrifices made by Americans to help Iraq gain its freedom and independence, and I was disappointed by what I perceived as the craven Democrat response.

I questioned my hearing skills, however, when I found out that the actual words spoken in the speech were "Author of Liberty," not "altar of Liberty." Nevertheless, the image in my mind was so compelling I thought I would share it, even if I was wrong.

Text of the President's speech

Response

Text of the Declaration of Independence

Commentary

Photo Credit: Thomas Ormston, who posts his photos on Flickr. His photostream of images of the National Archives is well worth your time. Please take a few moments to remember that the freedom we enjoy in the United States is still only an unrealized dream in the hearts of men, women, and children in much of the world.