Mark Levin Discusses The Declaration of Independence and His Early Inspiration

Popular radio and television star and leading conservative voice Mark Levin talked with Breitbart News Saturday SiriusXM host Stephen K. Bannon about the Declaration of Independence and also what most inspired him as a young boy that might also inspire children today when it comes to liberty and America. Levin said:

Because I lived outside Philadelphia, when I was thirteen, fourteen years old, I used to take the train into Philadelphia, walk about a mile, or two to Independence Hall and I would stand there for hours. I would stare at the Pennsylvania Assembly room, I would even look at the spittoon. I’d say, wow, these men were here. I would walk on the cobble paths where they would walk. I would look at the chair that Washington and others sat in. You know, Hancock, as the President of the Second Continental Congress. I would ask, where did Benjamin Franklin sit? I got to the point where I knew more than the park rangers but I kept my mouth shut. I let them do their thing.

Then I’d go right across the hall where the first Supreme Court met after the Constitution had been adopted and ratified. Then I’d go a little bit further and I’d stand where Congress for a while met. And we had the upper and the lower House and the reason why the House of Representatives is the lower house is because it was on the first floor and the Senate was on the second floor and that’s why we call it the upper house. I would read everything I could. There’s a spirit there. It’s invigorating and I must have done it fifty times. And I would encourage parents, if you ever get around the Philadelphia area, go to Independence Hall and take your time. There’s an enormous amount of history. Franklin’s buried not too far away right near the Philadelphia Mint. You’ll see the old Customs House there.  You’ll see the tavern. You’ll see the area where Thomas Jefferson stayed and wrote the first draft of the Declaration on Independence.”

In conclusion, Levin said, “In this one block area you’ll also see where Abraham Lincoln gave a speech. And then later, John Kennedy gave a speech. There is so much history in these couple of blocks, it had an enormous impact on me and you really do get excited about liberty and the country and so forth.”

As for the declaration, said Levin in part:

The Declaration of Independence is so special because it lays out, really, for the first time anywhere, an argument for human life and human rights and independence. And it makes the case that no government gives or takes our unalienable rights, that we have these unalienable rights as a matter of natural law and that they are God given. And they felt very strongly that they needed to explain to the entire world what they were doing. This was the second Continental Congress, which was really in essence, if you will, the national government at the time. It had been meeting pretty much since 1775 to 1788 and was meeting in the Philadelphia assembly building, which we call Independence Hall.

The rest of the insightful discussion can be heard below. Breitbart News Saturday airs weekly on SiriusXM Patriot Channel 125, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern Time.