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“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” – Thomas Paine

“In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

“The United States is the only country with a known birthday.” – James G. Blaine

“I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master.” – Thomas Jefferson

“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it.” – Thomas Jefferson

“I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” – James A. Baldwin

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” – Mark Twain

“A statistician made a few calculations and discovered that since the birth of our nation more lives had been lost in celebrating independence than in winning it.” – Curtis Billings

“Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn’t.  You cannot shirk this and be a man.  To decide against your conviction is to be an unqualified and excusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let men label you as they may.” – Mark Twain

“We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.” – William Faulkner

“Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.” – George Washington

“I know of no country in which there is so little independence of mind and real freedom of discussion as in America.” – Alex de Tocqueville

“Go blow some shit up today.”  – Me

Seventy-five years ago today, the prohibition on beer ended. 

This is a photo of thirsty patrons lined up about ten deep at Berghoff’s Cafe in Chicago waiting to purchase their first frosty brews after over thirteen years of temperance.

Most people remember Franklin Delano Roosevelt for “The New Deal,” but he also campaigned with a promise to end prohibition. 

Beer was the first alcoholic beverage made legal again after he took office. All other alcoholic beverages were legal again in December of 1933 after the eighteenth amendment was repealed.

So raise a glass of beer today and toast President Roosevelt.

Cheers!