Life, Liberty, and Whoop-de-do!

[Steve Schear]

Life, Liberty, and Whoop-de-do!
P.J. O'Rourke, Forbes ASAP, 12.03.01

In which our man in mirth declares a new kind of independence
Much of the world is confused and infuriated by America. And I contend that 
happiness is the source of the confusion and fury. Other countries are 
established upon pride, power, nationality, blood, and religion. Not 
America. Pursuit of happiness is what we're all about. It's front and 
center in our charter, an inalienable right; the Declaration of 
Independence says so. No talk of happiness appears in England's Magna 
Carta. The French Revolution's Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen 
fails to address the subject. Article 24 of the United Nations' Universal 
Declaration of Human Rights does state, "Everyone has the right to rest and 
leisure, including... periodic holidays with pay." But this is not the same 
as the pursuit of happiness--as anyone who has wasted a vacation dragging 
whiny children on a tour of United Nations headquarters knows.

http://www.forbes.com/asap/2001/1203/018.html