Celebrating the Fourth

As we celebrate the Fourth of July and the Declaration of Independence, it is good to remember the human beings that brought it forward.  Each was an individual, and the formation of the country was not an abstract or theoretical exercise.  Real people put themselves at real risk.

From Philadelphia, here is the grave of Dr. Benjamin Rush in the Christ Church Burial Ground:

Rush signed the Declaration of Independence and was Surgeon General of the Continental Army.  Among his writings, he particularly emphasized education, and wrote: "Freedom can exist only in the society of knowledge. Without learning, men are incapable of knowing their rights."