In 1776, there were no human rights organizations that protected citizens in expressing their conscience. The signatories jeopardized, without any hope of external safeguards, a contented life as colonial aristocrats in order to establish a government and society that was a theoretical experiment.

Because of the sacrifices made by our valiant armed forces, 21st-century Americans can protest, ridicule and disparage government, large corporations and overbearing power brokers without threat of physical violence. May we all recall our forebears' heroism when we have the opportunity to support a cause that may not enrich personal fortunes, but benefits our community and country.

Webb: The birthday of our country is a good time to reflect on the foundations of our government and particularly the incredibly profound assertions of the Declaration Independence, signed 229 years ago tomorrow: All men are created equal; they are endowed by God with certain unalienable rights; and government derives its power from the people, not the other way around.

These bedrock principles, divinely inspired, I believe, set the United States of America apart from any other country.

The essence of government is simple: We create government so that we can do things collectively that would be difficult or impossible to do individually. It makes no sense for each of us to have our own police force, or to each pave the bit of street in front of our house, or to have our own system of money.

So we do those things, and many others, collectively. It follows, by necessity, that rules must be established and that leaders direct these collective efforts. Those rules and leaders are what constitute government.

But the founders were well aware that in creating government we endow it with a certain characteristic not found in any other institution or organization: the power of force and coercion. No other institution can legally put you in jail, confiscate your money or property, take away your children, and even take your life. But government can. The power of coercion is an awesome force that is essential to government, but it is also a very dangerous force that, in the wrong hands and if not held in check, can result in tyranny and repression.