Category Archives: Freedom

A report from the Family Research Council published Thursdayrevealed a disturbing surge in government violations of religious liberty since 2014.

The report, entitled Hostility to Religion: The Growing Threat to Religious Liberty in America, detailed a 76 percent increase in government breaches of religious liberty law since 2014, spiking most under the Obama administration.

The report underscores the legitimacy of the actions taken by the Trump administration to end the policies and practices in federal agencies that fan the flames of this religious intolerance, Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, said. The increase in reported cases not only reflects the growing hostility, but also the growing courage of Christians, especially young Christians, to defend both their faith and their freedoms.

Violations of religious liberty have not only increased in quantity, but have also become more overt. The report details cases from 2000 to June 2017 of attacks on schools, small businesses, churches, non-profits, and individuals. The attacks include teenagers arrested for delivering prayers at school, the forced removal of a 9/11 memorial banner by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Sen. Bernie Sanders targeting of a nominee for their religious beliefs, and others.

This narrative pits our historical understanding of the notion of religious libertyan expansive vision that includes the ability to apply ones faith to all the details of ones lifeagainst a more recent understanding of freedoms in which rights to a religion-free environment or to unfettered sexual expression are crafted into new law and elevated to the level of and even above our foundational constitutional rights of freedom of speech and religion, the report reads.

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Attacks On Religious Freedom Rise 76 Percent Since 2014 - The Daily Caller

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VAN BUREN (KFSM) -- A project a year in the making and costing over a $1 million is set to open to the public on Friday (June 30) ahead of Independence Day.

City leaders, the community and veterans will come together to dedicate Freedom Park in Van Buren. The new park was designed specifically for residents to enjoy and to honor the sacrifices made by the veterans of all U.S. Armed Forces.

The park is right in the heart of downtown Van Buren across from the train depot on Main Street.

Crews built two pavilions to be used for local farmers markets and other activities. The park also consists of a wide open lawn space with a stage, splash pad, benches and picnic tables.

Freedom Park was part of the city's Master Parks Plan, which is focused on the quality of life for Van Buren residents. "This was the number one park inthat plan and to see that come to life and people walking out there is really gratifying," said Joseph Hurst, Planning Director.

"This is all part ofthe plan to invest in a park andmake it a gathering space. Hopefully this will help restore and pump new life in downtown, and so far that's what we're seeing," said Hurst.

The ribbon cutting ceremony will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Freedom Park, rain or shine. If it's raining, organizers said it will be held under the pavilion.

Anyone is welcome togo and celebrate this accomplishment. There will be a presentation from many city leaders. Also, members of theVeterans of Foreign Wars PostNo. 1322 will be attending.

The new chief of police for Van Buren will also be sworn in during the ceremony. Jammie Hammondwill be replacing the current police chief, Kenneth Bell, who will be retiring after 32 years of service.

While Freedom Park will be used as an entertainment venue, starting in the fall crews will begin construction on VeteransMemorial Plaza located next to Freedom Park. This will be a place to reflect on the past, present and future veterans of our country.

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Freedom Park Dedication In Van Buren Honoring Veterans - 5newsonline.com

By John UbaldiContributor, In Homeland Security

On Tuesday, America will celebrate its 241st birthday. This holiday always brings to mind many of the time-honored traditions which are associated with this special day. However, the Fourth of July has an important meaning, and it should be a day of reflection.

The Fourth is a day that reminds us of that long, hot summer, which ushered in a new beginning not only for this country but for humanity. The moment when trumpets sounded unleashing the aspirations of a nation that forever changed the destiny of the world. In 1776, a new foundation was established with a government that would derive its power from the consent of the people.

Its easy to forget the noble undertaking begun so long ago; easy to forget the auspicious beginning that gave hope to a world in which a government can be ruled by its citizens. President George Washington cautioned his fellow Americans that they had a new responsibility, by stating in his first inaugural address, The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered, perhaps, as deeply, as finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.

As we celebrate the birth of this nation, we must not forget that our armed forces are serving around the globe protecting the very freedom we cherish, always mindful that the democratic experiment which begun on July 4th, 1776 not only survives at home, but also begins to sprout in uncharted realms across the globe.

From the birth of this republic, the foundation of this country was the proposition that all men are created equal. President Abraham Lincoln eloquently stated in the Gettysburg Address, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedomand that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Lincoln envisioned the guiding principles of the Declaration of Independence and the rights conveyed in the United States Constitution would be the foundation that all of humanity rests on. The inspired words inscribed in the Declaration of Independence, We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, instruct many of our brave men and women serving our nation to understand that they are serving the cause of freedom enumerated in that cherished document, sacrificing and establishing the basic foundation of democracy often in volatile regions across the globe.

Far too often, many have fallen upon the altar of liberty, whose families have the courage and knowledge their loved ones sacrificed and gave all in freedoms cause. President Kennedy articulated in Profiles in Courage: In the days ahead, only the very courageous will be able to take the hard and unpopular decisions necessary for our survival in the struggle with a powerful enemy. And only the very courageous will be able to keep alive the spirit of individualism and dissent which gave birth to this nation, nourished it as an infant, and carried it through its severest tests upon the attainment of its maturity.

Unfortunately, the contemplation of the meaning of freedom is too often a vernacular of popular expression that easily reverberates in our dialogue as we discuss the rights embodied in the Constitution. Over time, a tilt toward the direction of evil has contaminated the moral compass that we hope to enjoy.

Too often, we have failed to realize that many regions and nations of the world still live under the cloud of totalitarianism, unable to enjoy even basic rights. Many nations of the world are left in a dark blanket of oppression that enslaves them to an endless abyss of misery. For freedom to be sowed, nations and individuals must be willing to stand up to the forces of evil or forever sentence future generations to a world without freedom.

However, even a divine constitution requires something further; it demands people who will, by their very nature, receive and respect such a constitution and function well within the conditions it establishes. What personifies that idea? The story of an American soldier who helped liberate a concentration camp during World War II, who recalled blowing the lock off the door trying to assist the people inside.

The soldier was interrupted by a tap on his boot and found, wallowing in the mud, a Protestant minister. One of the ministers first requests was, Soldier, do you have a flag? Later, when the soldier retrieved a flag from his jeep, he gave it to the minister on a stretcher and with tears in his eyes, the minister said, Thank God you came.

Today, as a nation, we are falling short in teaching our children the history of this country, the history of the sacrifices that have been borne so we may live in freedom. Many people know very little of our Founding Fathers, the sacrifices of those during the Civil War, or even what the Greatest Generation had to endure to rescue humanity from fascism in the 20th Century to secure peace.

Today, generations of Americans have failed to understand the unique role this nations plays in preserving freedom. We are not perfect, as many recent news articles state, but to millions around the globe we are (still) that shining city upon a hill.

The famous Russian dissident, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who spent many years in a Russian Gulag prison system, gave an eloquent address in 1975, with his thoughts on how he viewed the United States. It is far different from how many Americans look at this country today.

The United States has helped Europe to win the First and the Second World Wars. It twice raised Europe from post-war destruction twice for 10, 20, 30 years it has stood as a shield protecting Europe while European countries were counting their nickels, to avoid paying for their armies (better yet to have none at all) to avoid paying for armaments, thinking about how to leave NATO, knowing that in any case America will protect them anyway.

Solzhenitsyn continued with, The United States of America has long shown itself to be the most magnanimous, the most generous country in the world. Wherever there is a flood, an earthquake, a fire, a natural disaster, disease, who is the first to help? Who helps the most and unselfishly? The United States!

Individual freedoms have been the hallmark and legacy that America brought to the world, not for the benefit of America, but for the benefit of humanity. We celebrate these rights, and cherish the fundamental rights of freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom to assemble, and freedom of religion, but we fail to remember millions around the world are denied these basic rights.

On the Fourth of July, lets celebrate the principles of what this nation stands for the concept that freedom should be commonplace to all nations. Lets help lift the weight of tyranny so all the people in the world may enjoy the fruits of freedom, and lets stand for freedom for all. Happy Independence Day.

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The Fourth of July: A New Birth of Freedom - In Homeland Security

When I threw out all of my belongings and started living in AirBnBs (I dont own or rent), people say, Ohh! That must be so freeing!.

I know when I see something I want to buy, I feel relief. I have an easy answer: I cant buy it. It wont fit into my 15 possessions. Whenever I buy one thing, I throw another thing out.

Is that freeing or imprisoning? I dont know

Someone asked me, Do you miss anything?

Yes, every day. All the time. I had a drawing next to my desk of the superhero character from the 60s, Underdog. I loved it.

I had a Dr. McCoy doll from Star Trek. I had a photo album of photos from when I was a little kid. It had photos of me, my sisters, my parents. I had a collection of comic books built up over decades.

I miss them. I miss many things that I have lost in my life.

I practice missing.

The less I expect, the happier I am.

When I wake up in the morning, I look out the window. I see a 3 dimensional city of vertical buildings reaching into the clouds. I see the sunlight. I feel like I want to sleep more but I know I have to get up because I want to write.

Im going to write. Im going to do some business. Im going to disappoint some people. Im going to make other people happy.

Then Im going to play ping pong. Im going to prepare for some work I have to do tomorrow. And Im going to play backgammon.

I miss many things every day. This is freedom.

To live a life filled with things that I miss. To give myself permission to be both happy and sad at the same time. Melancholy is freedom. Happiness all the time is prison.

I used to lock myself in that prison. Surrounded first by my possessions. Then surrounded by my goals. And the opinions people had of me. And the opinions people had of me. And my anxieties about tomorrow, which always drained me of energy for today.

I wrapped myself in so many expectations they kept me in prison.

Today Im going to play. Im going to miss. Im going to laugh. Im going to forget things. I have permission.

James Altucher is the author of the bestselling book Choose Yourself, editor at The Altucher Report and host of the popular podcast, The James Altucher Show, which takes you beyond business and entrepreneurship by exploring what it means to be human and achieve well-being in a world that is increasingly complicated. Join the 136,000 readers getting a dose of my best and controversial content. Join here.

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What Freedom (Actually) Means... - HuffPost

Idaho Falls 0Updated at 10:21 am, June 29th, 2017 By: Nate Eaton, EastIdahoNews.com We Matched

The American Pyrotechnics Association named the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration as one of the top five must-see fireworks displays in the country. | File photo

IDAHO FALLS The American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) has named the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration as one of the top five must-see Independence Day fireworks displays in America.

The list, released Wednesday, includes recommendations for the most avid of fireworks fans to consider this 4th of July. The Melaleuca Freedom Celebration is the only display in the western United States to make the list.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LIST OF THE APA MUST-SEE INDEPENDENCE DAY FIREWORKS DISPLAYS

Every year were looking for something new and different that is spectacular and draws a large crowd of spectators, said Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association. The size of the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration and the location really jumped out to us. Its one of those shows thats worth making the jaunt to see.

The APA estimates more than 16,000 fireworks displays will commemorate Americas 241st birthday nationwide next Tuesday. The Melaleuca Freedom Celebration, being held at Snake River Landing for the first time, is expected to draw more than 100,000 spectators from all over the world.

The fact that the show is going to be enhanced this year makes it extra special, Heckman said.

RELATED | MELALEUCA PROMISES BIGGEST FIREWORKS SHOW EVER: YOU HAVENT SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS

Twenty thousand firework shells totaling 17,000 pounds of explosives will be shot into the air during the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration, according to Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot.

This year were more than doubling the size of the show, VanderSloot said. The fireworks used to be brought in on one 40-foot trailer. This year two 53-foot trucks are needed to bring them all in. Its an enormous amount of firepower.

WATCH: MELALEUCA CEO FRANK VANDERSLOOT DESCRIBES THE MASSIVE FIREWORKS DISPLAY

The 31 minute production is being produced by Western Display Fireworks. The same firing system used during the Winter Olympics will shoot off the explosives synchronized to 1/100th of a second to match patriotic music.

Were bringing in a special pyrotechnician from Frankfurt, Germany to shoot this off, VanderSloot said. He does fireworks competitions all over the world and is the best and the biggest.

The fireworks will be placed on a launchpad 40 times larger than previous years. The platform is one and a half times the length of a football field and the space will be utilized to accommodate the massive number of shells.

Its like going from a 10 inch screen to a 100 inch screen in your living room, VanderSloot said. Were going to paint the entire sky the lower section, the middle section and, for the first time, the higher section. Youre not going to want to miss this show.

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Melaleuca Freedom Celebration named one of the top must-see fireworks displays in America - East Idaho News

Gregory Laing and his wife Juliette

San Fernando businessman Gregory Laing has been freed. A ransom was paid in exchange for his life.

Laing was released at around 5.05p.m. on the Beetham Highway. He has made contact with his family.

The Police Service has since confirmed that Laing was "safely located by the Anti Kidnapping Unit".

The ransom was delivered in two locations during the day by a relative of Laing who was allowed to speak several times with realtives. He told them he had not been hurt.

Family members are rejoicing this afternoon. Laing was held captive for about 14 hours.

Laing was snatched outside his bakery, Puff N Stuff, at Circular Road and in less than an hour a ransom of $270,000 was demanded for his return.

Police said the call for ransom to Laing's family originated from Beetham Gardens, Port of Spain.

Road blocks were conducted there as well as Laventille but officers found nothing that led to the victim.

Laing is believed to have been kidnapped around 3 a.m. when he would routinely open his bakery in preparation of the day's sales.

An employee who turned up for work saw Laing's Mercedes Benz in the car park.

A set of keys and a cell phone belonging to Laing were found on the ground near the vehicle.

Investigators believe that the kidnap plan had been hatched for some time, and his assailants were awaiting for an unguarded moment to ambush Laing.

Laing lives in a gated community in St Joseph Village, a five-minute drive away from the bakery.

It is believed that he had just exited his car and was near the door to the business place for employees when he was taken away by kidnappers.

No witnesses have come forward to the police with information.

Police searhed through closed circuit television footage for leads into the getaway vehicle and a description of the assailants.

Investigators impounded and examined the car belonging to Laing.

The vehicle was towed by police officers and handed over to officers of the Special Evidence Recovery Unit (SERU).

Several police units of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit, Southern Division Task Force, and other officers are working on the case and at around midday yesterday the heads of those units held a meeting, the Express was told.

At the bakery, sales continued, and a sign was posted on the front door indicating their business would now close at 6 p.m. instead of 8 p.m.

A spokesperson for the Laing family said that they were upset over the media coverage of the kidnapping.

The spokesperson said that the family thought the posting of pictures of Laing's car and his wife, Juliette, was tactless .

He said if the family had anything further to say on the matter they would inform the media.

Residents surrounding the bakery said they heard a commotion but did not know until later that a crime had been committed.

I hear a commotion up the road but I didn't look out. I didn't even know he get kidnapped, one resident said.

It is amazing how this happened. The man is working hard every day. He doing everything in the business toting crates of bread and everything. He is a very nice person, another said.

President of the San Fernando Business Association Daphne Bartlett said her thoughts and prayers were with the Laing family.

It is sad that someone gets up that early in the morning to perform his duties and you are attacked. It is not a good message to send to the young people who are trying to be entrepreneurs and going out there to start their own business and achieve something, said Bartlett.

San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello called on citizens to go to the police if they had information on the crime.

In a media statement from the San Fernando City Corporation, it stated: San Fernando has relatively avoided the brunt of criminal activity in Trinidad and Tobago, today's event further galvanizes the need for all our citizens to take back our City streets. Mr Laing is one of San Fernando's model business owners and is noted for providing employment for many of the citizens of San Fernando. While the charitable contributions of his company are a testament to Mr. Laing's dedication towards the City of San Fernando.

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FREEDOM ! - Businessman released after ransom paid - Trinidad & Tobago Express

Four vintage WWII aircraft will fly into Missoula for a three-day visit next week as part of the Collings Foundations Wings of Freedom Tour.

The national tour pays tribute to those who flew, built, maintained and benefited from the aircraft during and after the war, and gives the public an opportunity to either tour the aircraft on the ground, or go for a ride over Missoula.

The Wings of Freedom Tour is a living history event that allows people to learn more about their heritage and history through direct participation, according to a news release.

The four aircraft visiting Missoula include a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber, a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber, a North American B-25 Mitchell, and a P-51 Mustang fighter. They will be on display at the Museum of Mountain Flying at Missoula International Airport.

According to Stan Cohen, co-founder of the Museum of Mountain Flying, the P-51 Mustang fighter has never been brought to Missoula before, and it is the gem of WWII airplanes.

Flights on the B-17 or the B-24 cost $450 per person, B-25 flights costs $400 per person, and P-51 flights cost $2,200 for a half-hour and $3,200 for a full hour. To explore the aircraft on the ground, adults pay $15 and children younger than 12 pay $5.

The Wings of Freedom Tour will be on display for ground tours from 2 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 5; from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 6; and 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, July 7. Thirty minute flights are usually scheduled before or after these times.

For reservations or information, contact the Collings Foundation at 800-568-8924.

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'Wings of Freedom Tour' to bring vintage aircraft to Missoula - The Missoulian

BEAVER FALLS -- Last summer, Nick Henderson could only dream of the way his senior year could be.

Entering his senior year at Freedom, he had yet to contribute in a playoff game. And, while his individual performance had been good, not many had noticed under the circumstances.

But during the football season, he set Freedoms career receiving record and the Bulldogs not only made the playoffs but won a game. In baseball, his team made the WPIAL championship game and the PIAA playoffs.

Freedom's Nick Henderson scored his second touchdown of the game with less than 30 seconds left to bring Pennsylvania to within a point, but the two-point conversion failed and Pennsylvania lost 21-20 in the 38th annual Penn-Ohio All-Star Football Classic.

Thursday night, he capped his senior year by earning Most Valuable Offensive Player honors for Pennsylvania in the 38th annual Penn-Ohio All-Star Football Classic at Geneva. He caught five passes for 77 yards, including the first and last touchdown for his squad. The first was 43 yards and the last 12.

His last catch of the game came with 29.8 seconds left that cut the margin to 21-20 Ohio. That marked the end to a 69-yard, 13-play drive that converted a third-and-24 situation and a fourth-and-20 play, and Hendersons scoring catch was a fourth-and-5 conversion.

We were all beat in the huddle on that last drive but we knew we had a chance to score with Amos (Quaker Valley quarterback Luptak) running around back there, Henderson said. On the TD pass, I really only ran about half the pattern I was supposed to and just found a hole.

There was no one even close to covering me. When I caught the ball, I sort of hunched over expecting to get hit but I didnt, so I got in the end zone.

Quaker Valley graduate Amos Luptak, right, runs out of the grasp of Ohio's Nathan Daniszwski during the Penn- Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls. Ohio won the game, 21-20.

Beaver Te'Vierre Williams is knocked backward as he runs the ball during the Penn- Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Central Valley's Ryan Turkall walks off the field after the Pa. stars fell to Ohio, 21-20, in the Penn-Ohio all-star game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Eric Hudanick of Seneca Valley walks off the field after the Pennsylvania stars lost to Ohio, 21-20, in the Penn-Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

OLSH's Markus Jenkins reacts after the Pennsylvania squad lost to Ohio, 21-20, in the Penn-Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Fort Cherry's Devon Brown makes an over-the-shoulder catch as Ohio's Michael Shope defends during the Penn- Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Te'Vierre Williams, left, of Beaver and New Brighton's R.J. Debo walk off the field after Ohio scored a touchdown during the Penn-Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Rochester's Chris Hayes tackle Ohio's Mitch Davidson during the Penn-Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Seneca Valley's Hank Royal fumbles the ball during the Penn-Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Rochester's Ian Kouba tries to run for a two-point conversion that would have won the game against Ohio in the Penn- Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls. Ohio won, 21-20.

Beaver's Micah Weaver pulls in a pass for a first down during the Penn- Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

West Allegheny's Joey Diven can't make a catch in the end zone for the Pennsylvania squad during thePenn-Ohio Football Classic Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls. Ohio won the game, 21-20

Ohio's Nathan Daniszewski runs with the ball as Pennsylvania player and Rochester graduate Ian Kouba (17) tries to run him down during thePenn-Ohio Football Classic Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Ohio's Jason Thompson runs with the ball as Pennsylvania player and Blackhawk graduate Carl Jaszcar (44) pulls him down during thePenn-Ohio Football Classic Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Pennsylvania's defense lines up against Ohio's offense during the Penn-Ohio Football Classic on Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Quaker Valley graduate Amos Luptak, right, runs out of the grasp of Ohio's Nathan Daniszwski during the Penn- Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls. Ohio won the game, 21-20.

Beaver Te'Vierre Williams is knocked backward as he runs the ball during the Penn- Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Central Valley's Ryan Turkall walks off the field after the Pa. stars fell to Ohio, 21-20, in the Penn-Ohio all-star game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Eric Hudanick of Seneca Valley walks off the field after the Pennsylvania stars lost to Ohio, 21-20, in the Penn-Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

OLSH's Markus Jenkins reacts after the Pennsylvania squad lost to Ohio, 21-20, in the Penn-Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Fort Cherry's Devon Brown makes an over-the-shoulder catch as Ohio's Michael Shope defends during the Penn- Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Te'Vierre Williams, left, of Beaver and New Brighton's R.J. Debo walk off the field after Ohio scored a touchdown during the Penn-Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Rochester's Chris Hayes tackle Ohio's Mitch Davidson during the Penn-Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Seneca Valley's Hank Royal fumbles the ball during the Penn-Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Rochester's Ian Kouba tries to run for a two-point conversion that would have won the game against Ohio in the Penn- Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls. Ohio won, 21-20.

Beaver's Micah Weaver pulls in a pass for a first down during the Penn- Ohio all star football game Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

West Allegheny's Joey Diven can't make a catch in the end zone for the Pennsylvania squad during thePenn-Ohio Football Classic Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls. Ohio won the game, 21-20

Ohio's Nathan Daniszewski runs with the ball as Pennsylvania player and Rochester graduate Ian Kouba (17) tries to run him down during thePenn-Ohio Football Classic Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Ohio's Jason Thompson runs with the ball as Pennsylvania player and Blackhawk graduate Carl Jaszcar (44) pulls him down during thePenn-Ohio Football Classic Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Pennsylvania's defense lines up against Ohio's offense during the Penn-Ohio Football Classic on Thursday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Hendersons trip to the end zone, though, didnt give Pennsylvania the win. It just set up the chance to win or tie.

After a timeout, Pennsylvania went for the win. It didnt happen, but nobody was second-guessing the decision.

Everybody was yelling to go for two, said Henderson, although Pennsylvania coach Joe Lamenza of Blackhawk had already made up his mind.

You dont play for overtime in an all-star game.

Henderson has a little time to reflect on the impressive way his senior year turned out. Hell return to his other love baseball next week.

I told my Legion coach (at Ambridge) that Id be missing a week or two, but Ill be back now, said Henderson. This was an awesome experience and if I hadnt played, Id have missed a great experience. I still have a month off from football before I have to report to Westminster on Aug. 10.

Hell play both football and baseball for the Titans.

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Freedom's Nick Henderson caps off senior year with MVP in Penn-Ohio Classic - Timesonline.com

Jackson Clarion Ledger

Alt-Left Insanity: OMG! Conservatives Have Religious Freedom! CNSNews.com But they especially hate freedom of religion. As I write this, a man has been arrested for destroying the Ten Commandments monument, less than 24 hours after it was installed on Arkansas Capitol grounds, reported The Hill. Sure, it's possible he's ... Fifth Circuit preserves Ted Kennedy's legacy on religious freedomJackson Clarion Ledger all 9 news articles »

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Alt-Left Insanity: OMG! Conservatives Have Religious Freedom! - CNSNews.com

Did you know that just telling union members about their rights under federal law can bring misery down on your head?

Just ask the Freedom Foundation, a state think tank based in Olympia, Wash., which has recently suffered outrageously aggressive legal harassment from the Service Employees International Union.

The SEIU has ginned up three separate lawsuits against the Freedom Foundation and also persuaded the state's attorney general to sue the think tank. At issue: the Freedom Foundation's effort to talk to more than 50,000 people dragooned into becoming SEIU members about their legal right to opt out.

These particular members ended up owing dues to the SEIU because of a dodgy scam the union pulled off with the help of friendly politicians to skim from the benefits paid out to indigent home care patients. The "members" in question didn't ask to join the SEIU; they're simply Washingtonians who receive state Medicaid payments to care for disabled loved ones an ailing parent, say, or a handicapped child, who would otherwise require more expensive institutional care.

As has happened in several other Democrat-controlled states, the union got the governor to invent a shell corporation that supposedly "employs" persons receiving such Medicaid payments. Then, the state had a mail-in "election" on unionization of these home care workers, in which very few benefit-recipients even realized what was happening.

Finally, even though very few people receiving mail-in ballots ever voted, the state declared that the union had won the election and made every payment-recipient an SEIU member. It also began automatically deducting union dues from their Medicaid benefits. Many unlucky "members" knew nothing about what was going on until they saw their payments shrink.

The Freedom Foundation estimates the state SEIU skims something like $25 million a year through this scheme. The same outrage occurs in other states, and the injustice led the U.S. Supreme Court (in its 2014 decision Harris v. Quinn) to hold that individual home care providers in this situation cannot be forced to join or pay a union. "The First Amendment," the court declared, "prohibits the collection of an agency fee from the plaintiffs in the case, home healthcare providers who do not wish to join or support a union."

Home care workers may have won in court, but not many of them were aware of their rights. So, the Freedom Foundation launched an outreach program that employed dozens of paid canvassers going door to door to inform Medicaid providers of their right to opt out of joining and paying the SEIU.

The SEIU hasn't taken kindly to this. Last September, the union and its affiliates filed three lawsuits against the Freedom Foundation. They even hired three separate law firms for the barrage of suits, inundating the foundation with intimidating subpoenas, depositions and discovery demands. The SEIU even convinced Washington State attorney general Bob Ferguson to file lawsuits against the Foundation.

In SEIU 775 v. Elbandagji, the union alleges the Freedom Foundation committed a "civil conspiracy" by inducing a former SEIU employee to give a partial list of SEIU-represented home healthcare workers to the Foundation.

The Freedom Foundation filed a counterclaim against the SEIU for "abuse of process" in the SEIU 775 v. Elbandagji case. A rare "special discovery master" has been appointed in the matter, which remains at a trial court in King County. As part of the discovery process, the Foundation requested documents showing how the SEIU handled information about its members, among other things.

The union refused, but on June 16, the discovery master retired state Judge George A. Finkle demanded that SEIU respond to the Foundation's requests by June 30.

In his order, Finkle declared, "I do not find that SEIU has demonstrated that the Freedom Foundation has wrongfully communicated with SEIU members or used SEIU's confidential information to harass SEIU members or employees. The Freedom Foundation is entitled to contact SEIU members, and prior restraint of its efforts to do so is impermissible." Finkle then cited the Supreme Court's Harris case.

Finkle's order is one small victory in the larger fight for workers' freedoms across America. But it's no small victory if you're one of the Washingtonians who provides in-home health care to a disabled loved one, and a union is trying to skim from that loved one's benefit payments without their permission or yours.

Finally, this decision just may yield some very interesting discoveries about how unions plot to deny their own members' rights.

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Workers' freedom scores a small victory in Washington state - Washington Examiner