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Why the DoI is included with the USC as a source of rights

Some people will argue that the Declaration of Independence is not a valid "legal" standard for determining the rights of United States citizens. Those that do are wrong.

The Declaration of Independence is the first founding document of the United States. It sets forth the beleif that "all men are created equal" and that "hey are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights". In fact the sum total of the Declaration of Independence is not only a list of rights, but a list of greivances against these rights. The problem that those that would argue against the Declaration of Independence as a "legal" authority of rights is that there can be not greivance against something if it is not an inherant right.

Thus, the greivances cited as reasons for separation from the crown of England and the rights they infringe upon (implied or explicit) must be given equal weight to other "Rights" stated in the United States Constitution.

A prime example of complaints that I receive is when I state that, as a United States Citizen, you have a right to not be taxed without proper representation. The United States Constitution no where states such a right, however it is explicitly stated in the Declaration of Independence as a greivance against the King. If such an item were not seen by the Founding Fathers as a "Right" of mankind then they could not have a valid greivance against it. Also looking at Amendment 9 of the United States Constitution we see that it explicitly states "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

Such a statement is clearly intended to say that other sources of "Rights" must be considered as well. And what other source of "Rights" exists? As an agreed framework for founding this Nation only the Declaration of Independence. In fact we see that First Continental Congress so agreed with their "DECLARATION OF COLONIAL RIGHTS" which shows how such an item was infact a "Right" despite not being explicitly stated in the United States Constitution.

Thus the Declaration of Independence, as the first founding document and the soul of this nation upon which the Articles of Confederation and later the United States Constitution were built must be given equal weight in the "legal" aspect of one's "Rights". To not do so would be to invalidate the reasons for the revolution that created these United States.

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