Independence Day is about more than barbeques and fireworks. It’s about remembering the reasons why the founders of America declared independence and established a democracy. The founders’ objections to spying was an important reason. So there is no better time to pay attention to the issue of wiretaps and spying than Independence Day.

The message inside this Bankers Hill communications cabinet near San Diego’s Timken Museum and Museum of Art speaks for itself: “Please keep this box locked. Customers having security issues.”

The customers with security issues include many museums. It is widely known among art insurance experts that the security alarms of art museums in Balboa Park were disconnected for about six hours on August 19 last year. Were any valuable works of art taken? We will never know for sure. That’s because there is a large backlog of artwork to be archived at many museums. Large increases in the price for gold and silver have made it tempting for thieves to steal art made from precious metals. They melt these objects of fine art into ingots which cannot be traced.

Administrators and politicians alike have been unanimous in their response to this problem. All say, “that’s not my problem.” The truth is, wiretapping is everybody’s problem. The right to enjoy our artistic heritage at our public museums is a right as important as universal education. For many people, it is their only choice for universal education. If it is also important to you, make sure you tell that to candidates who ask for your vote.