Freedom's day

George Washington indulged an enthusiastic idea that "the period is not very remote when the benefits of a liberal and free commerce will pretty generally succeed to the devastations and horrors of war." In other words, freedom among peoples across the globe would replace war.

Ebenezer Fox, a soldier in Washington’s Revolutionary war also upheld the idea of protecting the freedom of the individual citizen, not only from outsiders, but from insiders - and especially from men in public office. He would have said that the federal, state, county and city governments must be set up as the servants rather than the masters of the people.

America’s revolution had no ‘leader,’ in Authority. Our revolution equaled hope because human freedom and human progress were personal matters, not dependent upon authority. Human energy left unharnessed changes and advances civilizations both morally and economically.

Take two examples: When the King’s troops (George III) advanced down the Hudson River in 1776, free people resisted them. When a commercial plane went down in the Hudson River in 2009, free men rushed to rescue their fellow human beings.

Our first President knew that only freedom, the free exchange of good and ideas accounts for progress. What does our new 44th President, Obama know?