POLI SIGH 201

With reference to Christopher Dunn’s letter (Calendar Letters, July 14), Dunn should take a few more lessons in history before he puts himself in an academic position.

If he were to return to his history book and “meticulously” read the Declaration of Independence, he would find that while the much quoted phrase, “. . . life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness . . .” does appear, the Declaration makes no promises.

The violation of these rights, along with many other grievances, are listed in the Declaration as support for the call to dissolve England’s political hold on the colonies.

However, if one reads the Constitution of the United States (the basis of our entire legal system) completely, as Bruce Springsteen obviously did (and Dunn obviously did not), the phrase, “No person shall be deprived . . . of life, liberty or property (happiness), without due process of law . . .” appears in the Fifth Amendment. This is where our Founders put their ideals into law, not in the Declaration.

DAVID HEIMBURGER

Indianapolis, Indiana