Before you head out for barbecue and blowing fireworks up, take a moment to reflect on the things that were once worth fighting for. Here are a few that–given Anwar al-Awlaki’s death and the dismissal of Jose Padilla’s torture lawsuits since our last Independence Day–are particularly worth noting.

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

[snip]

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

Awlaki and Padilla surely wanted to harm this country. But that doesn’t excuse the harm done by those betraying the foundational principles of this great country.

Happy Independence Day! May we all continue to honor this country and its founding principles in the coming year.