America owes its success to those patriots who have never treated Declaration’s self-evident truths as self-executing

Our success is only possible because we have never treated those self-evident truths as self-executing. Generations of Americans have marched, organized, petitioned, fought and even died to extend those rights to others; to widen the circle of opportunity for others; and to perfect this union we love so much.

— Excerpt from President Obama’s weekly address celebrating Independence Day.