From my column today:

On Friday, New Hampshire celebrated the 200^th birthday of its famous motto, “Live Free Or Die.” Its words were first penned by General John Stark, who had led Americans to victory at the Battle of Bennington in 1777. The words are a reflection of the America that, today, we are merely taught about in history books.

...

There was, indeed, a time when “Live Free Or Die” meant every word for most Americans. But no longer are such black and white statements of principled certainty welcome in a land increasingly embracing mushy moral ambiguity in the name of the “common good.” Individual freedoms and personal responsibility are quickly becoming a thing of the past in a country that allows its politicians to coerce adults to wear seatbelts and to forbid smoking at a private bar owner’s invitation.

Read the rest here.