# Declaration of Independence Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declaration-of-independence-question/536012>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 14, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declaration-of-independence-question/536012 "2010-04-14T02:06:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declaration-of-independence-question/536012/21 "2010-04-14T16:28:19Z")

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The best way that I’ve found to think about it is that the Declaration is a legal brief, not a law. In other words, it’s an argument (to Parliament and the world at large) about what the law should be, not a statement of what the law is.

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**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declaration-of-independence-question/536012/22 "2010-04-14T17:43:58Z")

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It’s our vision statement.

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declaration-of-independence-question/536012/23 "2010-04-14T18:13:46Z")

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> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> As far as legal authority, the Declaration of Independance has the same weight as the National Anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance - ie none.

You can have my rocket’s red glare when you pry it from my cold, dead hands!

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declaration-of-independence-question/536012/24 "2010-04-14T18:44:52Z")

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“Your honor, universal optical care is clearly a guaranteed right under the National Anthem, as otherwise my client might be unable to see for himself if our banner is gallantly streaming.”

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**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declaration-of-independence-question/536012/25 "2010-04-14T21:47:23Z")

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> [@suranyi](#):
>
> As well as what’s already been said, I’d like to point out that the purpose of the Declaration of Independence wasn’t to make law anyway. It was, as the name indicates, to declare independence, and to explain the justification for doing so.

Think of it as a speech in wrtitten form.

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