Free Republic

TODAY, the 232nd anniversary of the day our Declaration of Independence rang out in Philadelphia, we rightly honor the men who debated and signed the document: Jefferson, Adams, Franklin and their colleagues. Yet, after that glorious declaration was signed in ink, it had to be counter-signed in blood. Without men willing to take up arms and fight for the freedoms the Founding Fathers asserted, the words themselves would have secured us nothing. It took courage to affix a signature to the Declaration. But it had taken another kind of courage entirely to stand at Lexington and Concord the year before....

THE HAGUE, 14/03/08 - The Netherlands will not ask for an EU statement that explicitly defends freedom of expression. This freedom in fact has limitations, suggested Premier Jan Peter Balkenende in the Lower House. The Netherlands is seeking support from the EU in relation to the possible consequences of the Koran film that MP Geert Wilders wants to show on or around 28 March. The formal Dutch position is that both freedom of expression and freedom of religion must be respected. The Netherlands hopes that its view can be incorporated in a joint EU statement if the film leads to...

WASHINGTON, April 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. Congressional Research Service reports it costs an average of $361,000 to put a soldier, Marine, airman or sailor in Iraq or in the region. Costs have risen almost 20 percent in 2006, making it likely the expense per service member has topped $400,000, the Houston Chronicle reported. World War II, in which the United States deployed 75 times as many troops as in Iraq, cost the nation about $20,400 per soldier, adjusted for inflation, researchers said.

I am sad to report that Freeper Militiaman7 passed away this morning from cancer. He loved FreeRepublic and was a local leader of FREEPS in the Roanoke, VA area. He had a FreeRepublic Banner he brought to all our Freeps. He was a disabled veteran who served his country. We will miss his quick sense of humor and his love for America and FreeRepublic. I have no further information at this time.