As a young child,I was fortunate to be able to live in Newport, Rhode Island, the firstBritish colony in America to formally declare its independence, and the first state toguarantee freedom of religion.

We lived a short time in a very old home in downtown Newport, which survived the Revolutionary War. Soldiers fought the Brits from the upstairs windows of our home, according to local lore.

Newport was rife with constant reminders of The American Revolution. I used to imagine what life was like in 1776 Newport, when the staterepealed its allegiance to King George III of England.

Reflecting upon Independence Day, it’s… Read More

“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
 – Ben Franklin

On January 1, I posed the question, “What will Liberty look like in 2014?” Six months later, the only honest answer is “less and less.”

Liberty… Read More