Happy 4th

It's the 4th of July and I'm about to go to the annual parade (my son's band is marching in it). We'll BBQ some burgers and enjoy the day. We're not doing anything special, but in our own way we'll celebrate the freedoms that make this nation what it is. As I write this many of these freedoms are under attack -- not from outside, but from within. They are threatened by an imperial presidency who values secrecy and seeks to accumulate power. We have a congress and now possibly a judiciary beholden to this president. In the name of security we're giving away hard fought freedoms of speech and the press. We have security agencies keeping tabs on peaceful protests. Fear is driving much of this.

The Democratic party -- the loyal opposition -- has shown little ability to mount a defense of our freedoms. They've been muzzled and humiliated and now they've lost their voices. Those who speak out are called unpatriotic. I remember the phrase: "America -- love it or leave it." To critique our nation's actions is not to disparage the nation, it is to call it to its foundations.

Happy 4th of July