June 1, 2025

The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime, and the punishment of his guilt. Let me repeat that in another way: Our liberty is God-given, on the condition we are always vigilant of threats to that liberty. If we are not, the loss of that liberty will be both our crime and our punishment.

John Philpot Curran (1750–1817), Irish judge, Speech on the election of the Lord Mayor of Dublin, 10 July 1790, Jay p.107

Do you take your liberties for granted? Do you see government as an intrusion upon your liberty? What about stoplights at busy intersections—mentioned back on January 1st? Don’t they intrude? Where is the boundary between properly restrained liberty and intrusive restraint?

Somewhere there is someone seeking something that will constrain the lawful liberty of someone else. Be alert as the target might be you. But also beware the view that government is your enemy. If it isn’t working for you, perhaps the wrong people are in charge.