The Founding Father of Human Rights

His name is unknown to most Americans and his legacy is largely excluded from our history books.  George Mason became unpopular, and therefore removed from history, by refusing to sign the Constitution.  He demanded, among other things, that a bill of rights be included.

The Bill of Rights was added four years later and was modeled after the Virgina Declaration of Rights, which was drafted by Mason himself.  Mason's Declaration of Rights inspired not only the US Bill of Rights, but also the 'The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen' resulting from the French revolution and 'The Universal Declaration of Human Rights" adopted by the United Nations in 1948.

A memorial was dedicated to Mason two years ago, but he deserves more than the tribute of a statue on a bench.  He ought to be remembered as the founding father that he was, on par with the rest of them.

Why the history lesson on a political website?  Because his values are the values of the Democatic Party.  

"Too few Americans realize the vast debt we owe [George Mason]. His immortal Declaration of Rights in 1776 was one of the finest and loftiest creations ever struck from the mind of man. George Mason it was who first gave concrete expression to those inalienable human rights that belong to every American citizen and that are today the bedrock of our democracy. Our matchless Bill of Rights came directly from the amazing wisdom and far- seeing vision of this patriot."  President Harry Truman