Happy Easter

Happy Easter to our Orthodox friends!

Happy Birthday, Queen Elizabeth II

Today, Her Majesty Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of Windsor celebrates her eightieth birthday. That's Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. So, on this auspicious occasion, I shall wish her well and a long life.

Still, as the queen joins the growing ranks of octogenarians, it is fair to question, if not her retirement, then the future of the monarchy -- after all, can you say King Charles III?

As an American, the fate of the monarchy has little bearing on my life. Still, monarchy is inconsistent with republican government and a free society. While many might think she is merely a figurehead, she is, in reality, the head of state. And while she may have taken a low-key approach to the job during the last 54 years, there is nothing to say a future monarch would exercise such restraint.

Besides, as Thomas Paine pointed out so eloquently two centuries ago, the notion of allocating positions of state according to birth is as absurd "as that of hereditary judges, or hereditary juries; and as absurd as an hereditary mathematician, or an hereditary wise man; as absurd as an hereditary poet laureate."

So I urge our friends across the pond to consider now their plans. Queen Elizabeth should be allowed to finish her reign but her death, when it comes, should mark the end of the monarchy.

Welcome to Light of Liberty, a libertarian blog

Welcome to Light of Liberty, my blog.

I am a newspaper editor and columnist for The Lima (Ohio) News, a Freedom Communications newspaper. I write from a libertarian perspective.

Hopefully, we can create a dialogue here on the issues of the day. Also, I hope to post many interesting links. Feel free to comment and engage myself and others in the debate.

Most of all, have fun and never take an opinion personally.

Yours in liberty,
Tom