Don't Ever Take Away My Freedom!

In my mind, the key to understanding the Declaration and subsequent Constitution and Bill of Rights lies in understanding the incredible commitment of our founding fathers and mothers. Today, there are many on both the "Left" and the "Right" of politics who would, to serve their own purposes, try to legislate and control the lives of others.

Many homosexuals want their rights upheld while trying to restrict the free speech of those who disagree with their lifestyles. Sometimes those who scream loudest for their "rights" are extremely intolerant of others' rights.

Some conservative Christians are not content just to worship as they wish and express their beliefs as they wish. Rather than merely persuade through example and reason, they want control over the actions of those who do not believe as they do.

Politicians in power too often try to restrict those who disagree with them. Subterfuge, deception and power mongering take precedence over statesmanship and service.

These are just a few examples of the dangers of selective freedom (I want mine, but you can't have yours).

Two of the most famous utterances remembered from my school days:

"Give me liberty or give me death!" And, paraphrased, "I disagree with what you say, but will defend to my death your right to say it."

And then again, from a folk song of the 1960's: "Don't ever take away my freedom!"

It is here that we find the United States of America. Yes, it is quite imperfect, and we can strive to make it better. But the fact remains; No nation has ever offered as much freedom or as much prosperity to as many people for as long as the United States has.

I honor and thank my father and mother and their generation, which sacrificed so much for mine. I also honor all those who have died and suffered to preserve my freedom.

Anyone and I mean anyone who would try to take away our freedom is our enemy. But to love even our enemies, as God would want us to, we must love enough to grant them the same liberties that we want for ourselves.

To the extent we are hypocrites about our freedom is the extent of the peril to our freedom. May God bless you on this Independence Day.