The American founders were inspired to sacrifice their very lives in a bloody revolution against the British monarchy, all for some mysterious concept called “liberty.” Today, that word is seldom spoken; when it is, it’s usually clear that the speaker is unaware of its true meaning. What then is this forgotten liberty, that Patrick Henry famously requested death if it could not be attained? If our forefathers considered it so important, why is it so often swept under the rug today?

Liberty. The belief that all people are fully equal, and for that reason, no man has the right to use coercive force against another. Under any circumstance. It simply can’t be justified.

If Joe doesn’t like that shirt you’re wearing, he can’t force you to change your clothes. You’re free to dress as you please. Joe is not “better” than you, and he can’t control your life.

It’s a silly example, but it applies to greater things: tyranny comes in many forms, all of which must be resisted for liberty to survive. And it is dying.