Freedom's more than just another word

As our rulers huddle behind closed doors, hammering out their plans to confiscate more of our money and set down more rules they expect us to follow, it's incumbent on us to remind ourselves that freedom is the default position of human beings.

One of the most electrifying documents in human history asserts that it is "self-evident" — true beyond any reasonable doubt — that we are all "created equal ... endowed ... with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness," and that governments derive their powers "from the consent of the governed."

Governments do not grant freedom; they can only restrict the freedom we have from birth.

To be continued ...