We Hold These Truths

This week we have something a little unusual to present for your consideration. On December 15, 1941 a special radio broadcast was carried on all the radio networks across the United States. This program was in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the addition of the Bill of Rights to the US Constitution. It was entitled "We Hold These Truths."

This program was part history and part entertainment, but it was also--and this is why we're featuring it--an exploration of the philosophy on which any democratic system of government must operate. The concepts it discusses are just as applicable to private organizations which run on democratic principles as they are to civil governments.

As you listen to this program please keep in mind that it is also a product of its time. Coming as it did just one week after the bombing of Pearl Harbor which plunged the United States into World War II, its conclusion speaks to the then-current world events with a distinctly militaristic flavor. We trust that all of our readers are mature enough to understand this context and not take offense.

You can follow this link to access an audio archive of this broadcast.