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Those damn radicals are at it again.

Pastors for Peace is leading another U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba, carrying humanitarian aid in defiance of the decades-old American embargo:

[O]n June 17-18 at four sites along the U.S.-Canada border, Canadian activists transferred aid material to Friendshipment vehicles about to set off for the South. In all, 13 separate caravans left from various points in the northern U.S. to converge in McAllen, Texas. Along the way, drivers and helpers met with supporters in 120 cities to share information and accept humanitarian donations.

On July 7th, the caravan will cross into Mexico. The medical and educational donations will then be shipped to Cuba, accompanied by 100 volunteers.

The volunteers are aware of the risk. Two hundred previous caravan participants have received letters from the government warning of steep fines for violating the embargo.

During last year's caravan, the US government confiscated 45 boxes of computers and other electronic equipment at the Mexican border. The equipment was only released last month, after a year of demonstrations and the threat of an embarrassing court case.

While most of us will celebrate this July 4th with barbeques and fireworks — although the celebration will be dampened some by having witnessed the erosion of our civil liberties — these Pastors for Peace volunteers are celebrating freedom: the freedom to question and even disobey government dictates that they believe are morally wrong.

That is the true spirit of 1776 — real American patriots standing up for higher principles than mere allegiance to a king. Or a president.