For quite a considerable amount of time, the topics of job creation and unemployment have been central to every political campaign in almost every country.

Last week was an excellent week. On the night of Monday, June 24, news broke that Julian Assange had entered into a plea agreement with the United States government. Less than forty-eight hours later, after being in various forms of confinement for twelve years for publishing classified material the United States government didn’t want the public to know about, he landed in his home country of Australia as a free man.

How a person uses the right to associate (and to not associate) is a matter of individual choice profoundly influenced by the cultural context.

Part 1: Early Years

As we approach the end of the 20th century, the figure of Franklin Roosevelt looms ever more imposing in the minds of Americans. In the two centuries or so of our history, it has happened that a few of our leaders—a very few—became symbols of some powerful idea, one that left a permanent imprint on the life of our country. Thomas Jefferson is one such symbol. With Jefferson, it is the idea of a free, self-governing people, dedicated to the enjoyment of their God-given natural rights, in their work, their communities, and the bosom of their families.

Last month the governor of Louisiana signed several pieces of legislation related to education. The most controversial bill is LA HB71. This law requires all public K-12 schools in Louisiana to accept any monetary donations towards or displays of the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Northwest Ordinance, and the Ten Commandments. The media is running wild with this story, as if this is the first time that public schools are being required to push moral principles onto students.