Today’s persuasive reflection from the New York Times is especially touching for those of us who live and work so close to Lake Champlain and the border of Canada. The writer compares and contrasts both the most positive founding visions of the United States and Canada, and the very different ways that the two cultures perceived justice, tolerance, and equality.

I encourage you to read and respond to this important essay that we will look at more closely in the course of our class study.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/03/opinion/03fischer.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=login