How can we live together in societies, as we invariably do, and organize ourselves so that we can be as free as possible from the oppression of government and of other individuals? How do we achieve both negative freedom, freedom from interference, and positive freedom, freedom achieved through purposeful action? For human beings, we find that the ability to live a full and free life is tied up with our interconnectedness with our fellow humans as well as with respect for everyone else as individual persons whose worth is equal to our own. Any definition of human freedom or conception of human rights that doesn't take sufficient account of both of these is incoherent, and not useful for understanding or for devising a better way of living, for individuals or societies.

During my lunch break today, I stumbled on an article about the Pope's upcoming encyclical on climate change.

It reports reactions to the encyclical in which the Pope explains why he accepts human activity is responsible for most of the current climate change and for other 'situations of environmental degradation', and in which he calls on all people to fulfill their roles as stewards of God's creation by changing their wasteful and polluting behavior.

Sick of hearing about Josh Duggar yet?

I sure am. But it's not the volume of reporting and public gossip on the story that's making me sick. It's the way we simultaneously fear and drool over stories that reveal that children have sexual instincts too. It's the way our laws and the media punish children, often for the rest of their lives, for this very fact. And it's the way that far too many of my fellow freethinkers, supposedly enlightened and sex-positive, have jumped on the bandwagon in their zeal to 'get at' the Duggars.

I still like to identify myself as feminist. Despite the blemishes some put on the term over the last century and a half, I value it because of the way it connects the current pursuit of equal rights and dignity for all to the brave and noble women (and like-minded men) throughout history who fought for their freedom, and mine, under its banner.

As every student of American history learns early on, Jefferson's words in the Declaration of Independence and his stated beliefs contrast sharply with his life as a slaveowner. And nearly every place I find something written about Jefferson, this contradiction is addressed but never really resolved.

Sixth day, April 24th.

Today, I'm heading south of D.C., and have only two destinations for the day, and that's a good thing: it'll take every hour I have to explore them, and make me wish I have more to spend. These places tell the story of what Thomas Jefferson's all about more than any of the other sites I visited, with the possible exception of the Library of Congress (though he never visited the building, of course, since it was built decades after his death).

And this time, I'm pleased to say, I have a travel companion, that very special person I told you I was meeting yesterday: my darling Dad, John Cools!...

Fifth day, April 23rd

I map out my route, then make a timely departure from my temporary home this morning: I have lots to do before I meet up with someone very special this evening, and I don't want to be late.

I'll be traveling today by car, since I have so many places to go throughout the day that aren't close to one another, but that's okay, none of my destinations are downtown.

I start with Kalorama, site of an opulent home belonging to Thomas Jefferson's friend and fellow statesman Joel Barlow...