FREEDOMS ON 4TH OF JULY

Monday, June 29th, 2026

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

FREEDOMS ON 4^TH OF JULY

 

        Independence Day to most Americans means a three-day weekend with gatherings of family and friends, barbecues, parties, games, food, parades, baseball games and fireworks.  Traditionally, most of us know that July 4^th is the recognition and celebration of our country’s independence from an oppressive government.  But this mid-summer special day is really only about one thing.  Freedom.

 

Most Americans agree on the importance of safeguarding basic freedoms protected by the Constitution.  But here’s where it gets a little murky.  Do we have to give up certain of these freedoms to be safe and secure? The current and past presidents, one Democrat and one Republican, think that there are tradeoffs, and that individual freedoms have to be compromised for the sake of security. In order to combat crime and terrorism, they say, it is necessary for the government to take away certain freedoms and civil rights. In the realities of the 21^st century, is our Constitution “out of date?” Both parties in Washington would have you believe so.

 

In the opinion of a majority of both Democrats and Republicans, freedom has to make way for safety concerns.  That disturbing view manifested itself in the recent passage of the so-called Patriot Act.  In the name of fighting terrorism, members of Congress drove a stake through the heart of the Bill of Rights.

 

Here is what members of Congress did in their Patriot Act vote.  As listed by Constitutional scholar Judge Andrew Napolitano, they authorized and empowered federal agents on their own, “in violation of the Constitution, and without you knowing it, to obtain records about you from your accountant, bank, boat dealer, bodega, book store, car dealer, casino, computer server, credit union, dentist, HMO, hospital, hotel manager, insurance company, jewelry store, lawyer, library, pawn broker, pharmacist, physician, postman, real estate agent, supermarket, tax collectors, telephone company, travel agency, and trust company, and use the evidence thus obtained in any criminal prosecution against you.”

 

So here’s the tragic irony.  On this special 4th of July weekend, when we celebrate our independence and our right to be free, we are being told by our leaders in Washington that, yes, America fought a war with the British, and over the past 250 years continued to fight wars to protect our freedom from foreign governments.  But nevertheless, now, we have no choice but to let our own government compromise these same freedoms that we have sacrificed so much to maintain and protect.

 

Judge Napolitano hit the nail on the head when he said on Fox News that our Congress frequently and forcefully argue that their first job is to keep us safe.  They are wrong.  The Constitution tells us that the sole job of our nation’s leadership is to enforce the Constitution:  and that means keeping us free.  “Free from tyrants who sought and claimed power from thin air:  free from prince-like federal agents who could behave without constitutional or legal restraint:  free to live with a government that obeyed its own laws.  Any president who keeps us safe but unfree is rejecting his oath to the American people.”

 

Lenin’s words concerning freedom would apparently find solace with a majority of members of Congress.  “It is true that liberty is precious, so precious that it must be carefully rationed.” And that’s the rub.  Our politicians want to control our basic liberties in the name of security.  The more security the bureaucrats in Washington try to impose, the more freedoms are taken away.  You see, freedom and security are not the same.  The most secure citizens in America are in jail.  That’s why it’s called “maximum security.”

 

When we hear all this talk of our members of Congress fighting to protect American freedoms, a paraphrase of George Carlin’s observations comes to mind. “Crime fighters fight crime, fire fighters fight fire, so what do our supposed government freedom fighters fight?”

 

Your congressman will no doubt protest that he or she is seeking the worthy goal of keeping you safe.  The reply of the true patriot is, “Yes, but at what cost?”  Is the benefit of some perceived (but often unproven) measure of safety worth, in this constitutional tug of war, the sacrifice of the basic liberties that American citizens have enjoyed for the past two centuries?  Thomas Jefferson would argue no. Principals matter.  The Bill of Rights matter.  The Constitution matters.

 

The best way to keep us safe is to keep us free.  That’s the message on this Independence Day.  And for every other day of the year.

 

“Those who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security deserve neither liberty or security.”

- Benjamin Franklin

 

Peace and Justice

 

Jim Brown

 

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownla.com

 

 

PRIDE-MAYBE YOU START WITH THE HOTDOGS!

Monday, June 22^nd, 2026

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

PRIDE-MAYBE YOU START WITH THE HOTDOGS!

 

One of the biggest challenges facing Louisiana’s newly elected Governor Jeff Landry is the task of re-instilling pride in the attitudes of many Louisianians. Government can only do so much. But a governor can be a catalyst in raising the public’s expectations.

 

The whole focus of public accountability and local pride came to mind this past weekend as I was receiving some medical help in Charlotte, North Carolina. Now I do admit a bit of favorable prejudice towards the Tar Heel State, having graduated from Chapel Hill back in the 60s. And 50 years ago, many observers linked North Carolina and Louisiana as the two southern states with the greatest potential for economic growth and a higher quality of life in the South.

 

Both states had a strong agricultural base, with tobacco being king in Carolina and both cotton and sugar cane offering farmers a good living in Louisiana. It was textiles in Carolina and oil in Louisiana. The two great university presses in the South were located at Chapel Hill and Baton Rouge with major American literary figures concentrated around the two prodigious state universities.

 

But an economic downturn hit both states in the late 1970s. North Carolina quickly diversified and centered its future economic development on an innovative research triangle that attracted startup businesses all over the state. High oil prices enticed Louisiana to keep the status quo. And things haven’t changed much.

 

Several Louisiana cities have recently sent groups of business leaders and public officials around the country to observe what seems to be working in other cities. They would do well to make a pilgrimage to Charlotte. Here is what they would find.

 

One of the first things you notice is the cleanliness, not just in Charlotte, but throughout much of the state. There are exceptions. But by and large, you just don’t see the litter that seems to cover Louisiana.

 

A few years ago, former Louisiana State Senator Robert Barham was a guest on my nationally syndicated radio show. He told the story of his efforts to bring a Japanese automobile plant to Northeast Louisiana. The Senator had picked up the Japanese officials in Shreveport and drove them to the plant site some 20 miles east of Monroe. He and his group made what they thought was a first-rate presentation, but the Japanese decided to go elsewhere. When he followed up the visit to find out why Louisiana was turned down, he was given two reasons. First was the lack of a trained workforce. But just as important, was the litter along highways. He was told: “Your people do not seem to take much pride in keeping their state clean.”

 

A brand-new monorail system has just opened in Charlotte, traveling throughout the downtown area and linking all the major hotels to the convention center. Congestion throughout the inner city has been greatly reduced, and I found it to be a quick and easy way to travel from my hotel to the sports arena. An idea well worth considering by the city of New Orleans.

 

Charlotte, as well as a number of other North Carolina cities, is in the process of becoming “wired.” Even midsize cities like Winston Salem are installing wireless broadband networks. As one city official told me: “We are trying to differentiate our North Carolina cities from other locations as we are competing for those knowledge — based companies. If your city is not wired up, you’re just not going to be competitive. Louisiana is only partially "wired." More than 20% of the state—especially rural areas—lacks traditional wired connections. 

 

And what’s all this about hotdogs? Let me confess that I love a tasty, grilled all beef hotdog with chili, mustard and relish on a warm bun. And that’s just what I got at several stops in Charlotte. Now I’m a regular in Tiger Stadium, the LSU Maravich Center, and the Superdome. And let me tell you, the hotdog comparison is like night and day. At these locations, you get a boiled, shriveled weenie on a cold, often stale bun. Certainly no pride here.

 

The bottom line, Governor, is that in setting out your new agenda, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There are a number of progressive ideas emanating from cities and states all over the country. Many of these ideas will require a major financial investment. But others, like keeping our roadways clean, are simply a matter of instilling a sense of personal responsibility. That’s where pride begins.

 

And Governor, you will particularly make me proud of your efforts if you make it your personal mission to do something about those lousy hotdogs at Tiger Stadium.

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownla.com

 

 

 

Monday, June 15^th, 2026

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

                   MAKE LOUISIANA A PROTECTORATE!

 

          Have you heard the cries that Louisiana is unable to take care of its problems and should be treated differently than other states? Some even say, OK, then — make it a protectorate of the federal government.  And you know what?  Maybe that isn’t too bad of an idea.

 

The proposal took legs recently when Froma Harrop, a nationally syndicated columnist, broached the idea in print. “Louisiana has had more than its share of tragedies in recent years, and some, such as hurricane Katrina, could be deemed an act of nature.  But whatever the cause, every calamity that befalls Louisiana is made worse by a corrupt civic nature. A protectorate could provide the structure of government people need.”

 

CNN travel editor Chuck Thompson drove the dagger in deeper in his recently released book, Better Off without ‘Em: A Northern Manifesto for Southern Succession.”  He summed up his, and purportedly other Yankee feelings, by calling the leadership down here in the deep South “a coalition of bought-and-paid for political swamp scum from the most uneducated, morbidly obese, racist, morally indigent, xenophobic, socially stunted, and generally ass-backwards part of the country.”

 

So if that is a growing northern attitude towards us poor lost souls in the Bayou state, maybe we should consider seceding and let the U.S. make us a protectorate like Harrop and others above the Mason-Dixon Line suggest. Anyone who does a bit of research will find that, right now, Louisiana is contributing more significantly to the national economy than the federal dollars the state is getting back. As a general rule, so-called protectorates receive much more in financial aid from their respective overseers than the country or state being protected contributes.  Not so in Louisiana. Yes, you will read about all the federal dollars that have been flowing into the Bayou State, particularly post Katrina.  But whatever federal sums have been allocated is a drop in the bucket when you add up the massive mineral resources that have been drained from Louisiana.

 

How about this!  Louisiana becomes an independent protectorate of the U.S., with Washington providing all the international protection like they do for Canada and Mexico. Sure the U.S. can continue to use the port of New Orleans (largest port in the nation), as well as Baton Rouge (third largest in tonnage) and Lake Charles (5^th largest in tonnage), but of course there would be fees similar to those charged in other international ports. The oil and gas would continue to flow to the rest of the country, but with adequate severance and processing fees for the quite reasonable sum of $7 billion to $10 billion. This is much less than the importation charges that the U.S. is paying OPEC countries now.  No more groveling for a small share of offshore oil payouts.

 

Mississippi might also want to join in the protectorate effort. The two states might even agree to create a “coastal nation of Louisissippi.”  The French would be appalled, but who cares.

So who is going to run this new protectorate?  The test?  Who knows how to get results. Walking the walk rather than talking the talk.  There really are only two candidates for the job.  One is former Army General Russell Honoré.  He’s the “John Wayne dude” who blew into New Orleans post Katrina and took charge of the disastrous recovery efforts.  He lives in New Roads and seems to be well rested and ready. And right there in contention is the chicken-lickin guy Todd Graves, who took a one horse chicken shack by the gates of LSU into a net worth of $20 billion.

 

The Ambassador to Washington? The “Ragin’ Cajun” James Carville is the man to demand fair respect for the Bayou State in the nation’s capital. And it would have been an easy choice before he died to pick a state treasurer.  New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson would have been, hands down, the best guy to go after the foreign aid.  He was Louisiana’s greatest robber baron, having talked the Louisiana Legislature out of $500 million dollars.  Remember that no other NFL team has received a penny from their respective states. He definitely would have been the man to go after to get the money.

 

The state flag would be a combination of black, purple and gold.  And of course, native-born Randy Newman (Louisiana-They’re Tryin’ to Wash Us Away.”) should write the national anthem.

 

Maybe the columnist is right, and we should give it a try. Let the feds protect Louisiana’s borders, and let us keep all our minerals.  If you look at the numbers, I have a hunch that any redneck or Cajun would jump at such a deal.

 

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownla.com

 

 

 

 

BEING POLITICALLY CORRECT!

Monday, June 8^th, 2026

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

 

 BEING POLITICALLY CORRECT!

 

Political correctness continues to be on the march in the Bayou State from Shreveport to New Orleans. Just about everywhere a Civil War commemoration or monument is located, there seems to be some local group calling for a re-writing of history by eliminating such testaments to the past. Poor ole’ Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis can barely draw a pigeon to give them the time of day.

 

And the war on past tributes is not just limited to southern states wanting to hold on to some remnant of antiquity. Recently the faculty at Brown University, an Ivy League school located in Providence, Rhode Island, voted to eliminate any celebration of Columbus Day. The Italian explorer has been commemorated with a federal holiday on the second Monday in October since

 

To the faculty at Brown, Christopher Columbus deserves no special honor in American history because of his enslavement of American Indians. Instead, Columbus Day at Brown will be changed to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day so as to “recognize the contributions of Indigenous People/Native Americans to our community and our culture and foster a more inclusive community,” according to the faculty motion.

 

Fortunately for Brown, America was not named Columbusia, as the designated honor was bestowed on another Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, even though he landed on the American continent seven years after Columbus. The faculty has no problem with Vespucci and the nation being called America. But wait! Wasn’t Vespucci also deeply mired in the slave trade? Weren’t he and Columbus close friends and both involved in capturing and selling American Indians? Should not the Brown University faculty undertake an effort to wipe out any reference to the name America? You can see how absurd all this can become.

 

So what should Louisiana do about Robert E. Lee, the respected Confederate general, and Confederate President Jefferson Davis? Take down their statutes in New Orleans and other locations throughout the state? I have a better idea. We live in a new period in history with the ability to create virtual reality and 3-D memorials. So how about leaving the present guys alone, but add other famous individuals with Louisiana ties?

 

Along with Robert E. Lee, let’s add former Sheriff Harry Lee who would be visited by presidents when they came to New Orleans. Spike Lee’s most famous movie was about the Katrina disaster in the Crescent City. Remember Gypsy Rose Lee who made several movies about New Orleans? So did Bruce Lee before he died. Rocker Jerry Lee Louis and famous Louisiana author James Lee Burke also carry on the Lee legacy.

 

How about Jefferson Davis? Well, we could surround him by former Governor Jimmy Davis along with civil rights leader A.L. Davis. Bette Davis made a number of memorable movies in Louisiana. Remember “Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte?” Emmy and Oscar award winner Viola Davis has filmed and spent a lot of time in Louisiana. Sammy Davis, Jr. loved performing at the Superdome.

 

It’s a tough sell to find any other famous Beauregards. General P.G.T. Beauregard is the only native Louisianan commemorated with a major New Orleans monument at the entrance of City Park. He led the Confederate forces when the first shot of the Civil War was fired at Fort Sumter. But with no other famous Beauregard’s to join his cause, his supporters will have a real fight on their hands to save this famous warrior’s observance.

 

Perhaps I’m being a bit flippant here and a little tongue in cheek. Of course there are monuments involving white supremacy that ought to come down. There is no place for Confederate flags to be flying above state capitols. Parts of American history are unsavory in both the north and the south. Louisiana and the nation are better served by remembering and learning from history. Not trying to rewrite or obliterate it.

 

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”

- Marcus Garvey

__________

 

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownla.com