Happy Independence Day

In April, I had the good fortune to travel to Philadelphia to see one of Galileo's telescopes. While this was very cool for an astronomer, I also had the incredible experience of seeing Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.

There are people who say that a person can't be an atheist and be an American patriot. The words I have for these folks are less than polite. Instead, I'll take the high ground and say that I disagree. I am proud to be a citizen of this country, participate in its elections (haven't missed one since I started voting in 1978) and follow its laws. Patriotism is more than dressing in red, white and blue and waving flags. And it's not just blindly following orders. It's standing up and pointing out problems then working to fix them.

More later... time for fireworks!