Happy Birthday, Ben

Although it passed by without me making note, January 17 was Benjamin Franklin's 300th birthday. Franklin, the 18th century's Hunter S. Thompson, has always been the wild card of the founding fathers, and therefore my favorite (I'm a Jefferson fan, too--Adams was a bit too severe for my tastes). The newspapers are full of quotes by Franklin these days, quips from Poor Richard's Almanac which todays media describes as "quaint" or "amusing," but I would like to recall something else Franklin said that is more germaine to todays America then that bit about the early bird. Everybody, say it with me now....

"Those who would give up an essential liberty for a bit of temporary security deserve nether liberty nor security."