So three historical figures walk into a bar...

Setting: A Paris Café.  Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson sit a table.  One chair remains, sitting in half shadow.  A man named Rick walks in, mumbling about gin joints.  He walks out again.  He is never seen again.  Benjamin and Thomas are having a big glass of red wine, giggling as Benjamin mumbles.

Ben: I’d like to order the salad.  I’m a vegetarian you know.  By not eating meat; I have money which enables me to buy more books.

Thomas Jefferson: I have to concur, I will be in no man’s debt, and by not being a man’s debt, I too have found freedom.

Ben: Why yes, money is very important to enabling the dream of freedom.

                Anne walks in.  The chair is moved into the spotlight.

Anne: I have to disagree.

Ben: Oh Annie, you’ve always got something to say, don’t you?

Anne: Well, Ben.  Tommy.  I just have to say that I doubt that money is the most important aspect of freedom.

Ben: Annie, you’re always questioning something, aren’t you?”

Anne: Well Ben.  I’d think that individual thoughts of freedom are infinitely more important.  If I am not allowed to think, am I truly free?  Money may enable this freedom, but I doubt that it is the most important aspect.

Tom: That’s rich coming from someone who had a husband who was a well off cloth merchant.  You’re not exactly living in squalor, are you babe?

Anne: Tom.  Why notice the speck in my eye and ignore the log in your own?

Ben: You silly people, religion is an important aspect of freedom also. Let’s not go into silly attacks over hypocrisy.  I’ve never been hypocritical, so I grow bored by this conversation.

Anne: Thanks for that Ben, you’re really contributing to the conversation.

Ben: That response was so heated, it fogged up my bifocals.

Thomas: Why am I a hypocrite, Miss Hutchinson?

Anne: Tommy.  A man who keeps slaves and then claims to value individual freedom above all…to be in no man’s debt, but then to be…massively in debt?  It seems like you’re a bit of a hypocrite.  That’s all.

Ben: You’d question an authority figure?  He was a former president!

Thomas: Like you’re that surprised.  Ann questioning authority and causing dissent?  It’s never happened before!”

Anne: Ben.  Stop talking.  You’ve rambled enough.  Go build a stove or something.

Ben: Can I just say, and by the way, Annie, I’m practicing temperance and humility right now, I’m going to tell you that I concur.   We cannot speak on freedoms that we do not practice, despite our intentions.  But if we are to become more realized within our freedoms, there must be a chance at religious freedom, and freedom of life.  My vision of freedom is not mine alone; rather we must look for some sort of unified vision.

Anne: There has to be an aspect of the individual, Ben.  Freedom is not a unified vision.  Just as religion is not a unified vision-

Thomas: But we can have some basic guidelines.  A man may pursue different forms of happiness; but are we not ultimately seeking a happiness? All Christians follow the bible to some degree.  But it is up to their interpretation.

Ben: Ah Tommy.  You’re so right.  Now, let us leave this restaurant and go buy books.

Anne: I’ll be off on my family vacation to New York.  I’ll be seeing you gentlemen.