In an age when 140-character Twitter messages pass for serious political comment, New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan stands out as a man who doesn’t shy from taking a stand in the public arena, in detail and at length, on the great issues of the day. The cardinal’s most recent letter to his fellow Catholic bishops does exactly that with regard to President Obama’s mandate that all employers, including those associated with religious ministries, provide free contraception benefits in their employee health insurance policies. Dolan addressed his letter primarily to those who share his Catholic faith, but his thoughts deserve serious attention from all Americans who care about the preservation of individual freedom of thought and conscience.