For those who let the 5th of November go unmarked, as so many still do, by all means, do carry on.  “For those who see what I see, and feel what I feel…”

Apart from taking the name “Guy” and enshrining it so deeply in the English language that today many commemorate him without even knowing it, the actions of Guy Fawkes on November 5th, 1605, for those today who have taken time to connect the dots and draw the parallels between the time Fawkes lived in and our own, now serve as a somewhat unlikely rally cry for freedom.

In modern-day jargon, Guy Fawkes would be labelled a terrorist and no doubt be on many a no fly list.  His bank account, telephone, and electronic communications would be monitored, and his Facebook friends would be suspects along with him.

In Fawkes’ day, taxing beards and regulating dress codes was high on the government’s priority list, a far cry from innocent government actions which we take for granted today, such as taxing tanning beds and regulating health insurance.

The more one reflects on what occurred over 400 years ago, the more one begins to understand why it still resonates with those who love freedom across the planet, as the million mask marches which took place today demonstrated.

For better or worse, Freedom is one of the few God-given rights of humankind.  It is so basic and vital to our existence that one tends to assume that all people think alike on the matter, as they would access to food and water supplies.  It is so vital and ever-present that one does not take notice until it is credibly threatened.

Whether you don a mask or not, we wish you a Happy Guy Fawkes day, may we all cherish our God-given freedom, and may those who choose to don a beard continue to do so in a duty-free manner.