Free speech in freehand

It’s the nation’s 234th, and cartoonists exercised their 1st Amendment rights. Rob Rogers shot off his mouth (malicious about militias!) and answered the timeless question: “Boxers or legal briefs?” Nick Anderson, lamenting a lack of confirmation fireworks, voiced a low opinion of a high court nominee’s right to remain silent. And Matt Bors, displaying his constitutionally protected dark irony, energetically reminded us that freedom of speech isn’t free, even if you gift-wrap it in the flag. Happy birthday, America … you don’t look a day over … 227! — Joel Pett

Joel Pett is the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist for the Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky. His work also appears in USA Today.