“Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature.”

Ah, well said, my founding father.

Eternal natural laws never change and that is by the grace of God!

Amen. but I believe the actualy quote says 'laws of God and His nature'>

You go, Ben! You're the man! OK, useless trivia... There are three people on US Federal Reserve Notes who were not presidents. Ben was one. Who were the other two?

Now that you say it Bob I do remember hearing it that way before and it makes more sense that way. Glad you brought it up.

Freedom cannot be bestowed by other men but can darn well be taken away by other men, our Congress does it daily.

I'd love to vote on this one 100 times. Once the tyrrants in position of power ever so stealthfully established government to be no longer of, by, or for the people (government being the aloof supreme being in all ways, having inherent right - claiming a divine rectitude in all actions, relationships, and works and, standing in allodium possession of all land, with power to license, compel compliance, pronounce victimless crimes, commit un-impugned larceny, etc.) Franklin's quote was lost in obscurity.

The soveriegn American republic was estalished upon these principles -- I do not believe Liberty can be established upon any other. Now, who/what 'God' is and his 'Nature,' well, that is a different discussion. ;-)

Freedom is a right that belongs to us - period.

...and a thousand more stars...

Freedom is a gift, a benefit of the heroic efforts of the brave visionary, who dared to think the unthinkable, releasing the conformist from their psychological and literal prisons.