Happy Independence Day

Today, while we in the US enjoy the benefits of our free democracy, let us not fail to remember those whose basic civil and human rights are violated every day. 34 percent of the world population lives in countries that are not free as defined by Freedom House in 2009, that number represents the population of 42 countries.  Another 62 were categorized as partly free.  Tibet, Burma, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan all have no enjoyment of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, instead they face government control of daily life, political suppression, and freedom of speech and press is a myth long dreamed for. Remember them in your thoughts today.