The Toll Road, The Right To Bear Arms, The Alcohol Ban, Free Speech, Gay Marriage, The Point, The Dirt Road

It's a privilege to be here in the USA, free to discuss and debate these issues, and others. As we celebrate our independence and the founding of our republic, I am mindful that this privilege is secured each day by men and women serving in our military.

I saw this picture of a U.S. Marine, from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, who was caught, without his helmet, by Taliban fire in Afghanistan on May 18, 2008. Obviously, he did not hesitate to stand up with the others in his squad and return fire. It reminded me of the sacrifices that those serving in our military make for all our citizens.

He was not hit and is okay.

Free Speech Prevails

First, the Second Amendment is upheld. Second, the First Amendment is upheld. Last week was good week for Freedom.

KTLA reports that a federal judge has ordered Caltrans to restore "Adopt-A-Highway" signs crediting an anti-illegal-immigration group on a busy segment of Interstate 5 near the San Onofre immigration check station.

District Court Judge William Q. Hayes has given the state transportation agency 30 days to restore the sign and allow the Minutemen to resume picking up trash along two miles of the busy freeway on Camp Pendleton, the North County Times reports.

In a 34-page order released Friday, the judge ruled that the San Diego Minutemen had shown that they stand a substantial chance of winning an eventual trial on the challenge to Caltrans' flip-flop on the issue last January.

The Minutemen were awarded the right to pick up trash -- and have their logo splashed on official signage -- near a checkpoint where federal agents occasionally stop vehicles to arrest persons in the country illegally. Immigrants rights group protested, and the state told the Minutemen they would have to move to a lesser-travelled section of Highway 52 near Miramar.

Caltrans eventually removed that section of Interstate 5 from the volunteer litter program completely. Last week, Caltrans suspended all new Adopt-A-Highway applications.

Judge Hayes said in his order that the Caltrans justification for ousting the Minutemen was not reasonable, and there is "little, if any, evidence" that the Minutemen's participation would endanger the public, the North County Times reported.