One More Quick Note & More Excerpts About Freedom and Liberation (& Votes) July 2, 2025

Many blessings to everyone, everywhere!

“As I believe the voice of my constituents and all sensible and honest men is in favor of independence, and as my own judgment concurs with them, I give my vote for independence.”

— Caesar Rodney, Delaware delegate to the Second Continental Congress, July 2, 1776

When Caesar Rodney cast his “vote for independence”, today in 1776, he understood that his decision affected people he loved and respected, as well as people he had never met and would never meet. It’s possible that he understood that it would even affect a man who could never dream would exist.

Exactly 132 years after Caesar Rodney’s famous ride and vote, such a man was born in Baltimore, Maryland.

Today in 1908, a descendent of enslaved people was born to a railroad porter named William and his wife Norma, a teacher. He was named Thoroughgood (which he would later shorten it to Thurgood) Marshall. He would grow up to understand that his vote — in the highest court in the land — mattered (and, along the way, he ensured that our votes mattered).

On Justice Marshall’s 56^th birthday, then-President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which essentially expanded the definition of “all men” (as written in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence) to include all people.

CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.

Because Every Vote Counted (Part 2)

Because Every Vote Counted (Part 3): more aptly titled “To Ensure Every Vote Counted”

“History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure.”

— Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in the dissenting opinion on Skinner v. Railway Labor Executives Association, 489 U.S. 602 (1989)

Please join me today (Wednesday, July 2^nd) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra  (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07012020 Caesar Rodney’s Ride”]

NOTE: For a little more philosophy on freedom, click on the excerpt title below.

Another Quick Note & More Excerpts About Freedom & Liberation

If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.

White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)

CORRECTION: Original post contained wrong day and class schedule.

### MOKSHA • MUKTI ###