Defenders of the Declaration

The objective was to persuade someone who had not gone through out class of one or more reasons why freedom as described in the Declaration of Independence is important, and why we must fight to protect that freedom.

If nothing else, I hope it makes you think a little bit more this evening. Enjoy!

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What would you do if you were told you only had a few more years to live? How would life change for you? For me, everything changed.

I’m like most people, I’d say; I hope to lead a successful career, make a great living, raise a family, buy a house (or maybe two), and have the flexibility to go on regular vacations as my kids grow up.

I’m chasing the American Dream, as they say.

But everything changed when I learned that this dream, this grand vision for my life – and that of my family – was at risk of evaporating, of deteriorating completely. I started asking questions, partially from a place of fear, partially out of genuine confusion.

See, I live in America, and like many of my friends today, my family and I have chosen to live in this nation because of the opportunities here not provided in other countries. As a third-generation Italian American, I was raised to work hard, be grateful, and always give back.

We’ve built small businesses, mutual funds, consulting firms, and more, all because we had the equal opportunity as anyone else here. And I’ve met many who have followed similar paths and built for themselves, and their families, a life that would not be possible anywhere else in the world.

But last year I learned that time was coming to an end. It was a disease of sorts, one which spreads orally and fast. A disease of definitions. It was threatening the very existence of my business, my financial plans, and my ability to decide how I wanted to lead my life.

It began when I heard “equal opportunity” used in a news segment to reference the ability for people to reach the same results in work and life. Leveling the playing field to ensure everyone ended up at the same place. I was confused. Equal outcome is drastically different than equal opportunity.

I know equal opportunity; I’ve experienced it first-hand. It’s what gave my grandfather the ability to lead a very successful life as an accountant on the 88th floor of the World Trade Center. It’s what empowered my uncle to start several successful financial firms and funds. It’s what has enabled me, a young professional in my mid-twenties to launch a consulting firm that supports small businesses in scaling and selling their companies.

What all three of us faced, though, was steady competition. There are always others who are trying to make it to the same outcome as us, but it takes ingenuity, confidence, and perseverance (among many other factors) to make it to that magical place of “success”.

Equal Outcome threatens those who work hard to discover and validate new ideas that disrupt industries & create new opportunities. It instead offers success to the one who cries loudest and longest, regardless of the effort given.

Equal Opportunity has existed for most of America’s history, and every decade, it only gets better. The principle that drove my grandfather, my uncle, and myself to build the legacies we have has been the very pinnacle of that success. The principle: everyone – regardless of origin, race, sex, age, profession, family, or any other factor – is created equal. It’s not just some ‘nice idea,’ it’s a fact.

When we saw ourselves, and everyone around us as equal by design, with the same rights as the next guy, we were able to build collaborative teams and networks that thrived as we sought to support each other as equals. Men & women, black & white, Italian American & Japanese American; we unite as simply Americans, equal in rights.

That is what created the equal opportunity we all have enjoyed.

We did not all end up the same, though. Some worked for others, some became wealthier than others. But we all were given the same opportunity to learn, apply, and share our skills with the world. That is the beauty of America.

It is also the very thing at risk of extinction. And that is no exaggeration.

We are mere years away from destroying the very idea of equal opportunity, provided to each naturally since we are all created equal with the same fundamental rights, all because we have mistaken equal opportunity for equal outcome. They are not the same.

If you, like me, want a future where our success is not stolen nor limited by others, then we must, together, fight to protect true equal opportunity, which starts with an understanding of our natural and equal rights.

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I hope you have an AMAZING rest of your week!