A Good Citizen of Humankind

Freedom - Land of the Free, Home of the Brave

What Does Freedom Mean

It means the right of the individual to chose his own course in life as long as it does not harm his neighbor (significantly). I add "significantly" since every human in some way or another competes for resources in a resource limited world, so some harm might be done even by being a life -- although not necessarily if one believes it is the sum total of what you do that counts. Anyway, we all get the definition.

What Does Freedom Mean in America

Well, it doesn't mean you can buy a Miller on Sunday in South Carolina. It doesn't mean that we tolerate third parties or make it easy for them to register, much less exist, in America. It doesn't mean you can smoke pot, even for medical reasons. It doesn't mean you can pull your kid out of school and expect to get your tax money back that you paid for the education, even if you put your child in a private school. Sweden, a socialist country, by the way lets you do this -- so, by this standard they would be more free. Freedom in this country does not mean that you can choose to redirect your tax money that is being spent for the war in Iraq. Until recently, it didn't mean that you could get a trial if you were declared an enemy combatant, or even a terrorist. Freedom doesn't mean a sixteen year old girl has the freedom to make love with her 19 year old boyfriend, although sometimes its okay.

Speaking of sex, freedom does not mean that you can buy a woman to have sex with you. Its okay if you spend enough money on her and she feels obligated -- no, not really -- but there are no laws against the latter. Freedom does not mean that you can have two wives or two husbands. Freedom does not mean in most states that you can marry someone of the same sex.

Freedom does not mean you can gamble in most states or send off fireworks on the 4th of July (your safety is at risk, man). Freedom does not mean that you can opt out of social security and take care of your own retirement.

Freedom does not mean that you can chose to end your life, even if you are suffering and death by natural means is certain. Freedom does not mean you can help a loved one who is suffering to end his life.

Why am I not free to buy a Miller before noon on Sunday in Az

Why not. Because, some Southern Baptist decided it was wrong, or at least in my best interest not to buy alcohol before noon on the Sabbath (actually the Sabbath is Sunday, but you get the idea). Buy the way, it is okay with me that the Southern Baptist is in church on Sunday and not buying up all my Millers. Why am I not allowed to do all the things on my list above ... why don't I have the freedom to smoke pot or end my life if I chose to? Religion. More specifically, self righteous religion. Religion that says I know what is right and wrong for myself and you.

Democracy or Religion

I would guess that the majority of Americans would say that it is OKAY to buy beer on Sundays (SC) or at least Sunday mornings (AZ). But the majority does not count. Yes, in this modern age, we could take a vote on almost everything and let the majority decide. I suspect that it would be a great world. But, we do not really believe in Democracy any more than we believe in freedom. You see the definition of freedom is not really what I defined above. There are at least two other definitions.

Freedom by the "Religous"

Freedom by the religious goes something like this ... Freedom is the right for an individual to chose his course in life as long as it does not violate any of my moral principals.

Freedom by the Military Industrial Complex(MIC)

Freedom by the MIC... Freedom is the right for an individual to chose his course in life as long as it does not detract from our right to profit from waging war.

I Believe in Freedom

I am one of those rare birds that actually believes in Freedom. See the list above, I am okay with all but one of the items on the list above. And, if the majority in our country thought that something was okay, I would 99% of the time go along, because I also believe in democracy. I believe in the majority, I believe in people, I believe in individuals. I try my best not to judge what someone else does, especially when it has no direct impact on me or on others .... which is almost all of the time. America, and most of the world, fears freedom. Yes, we fear freedom. We imagine a world gone mad if we give it too much freedom. Its like the fear of capitalism that China used to have.... they imagined chaos if everything was not controlled.

For example, we are afraid that if we let everyone that wanted to smoke pot, actually smoked pot, that the world would disintegrate into a drug orgy. We don't trust our fellow travelers through life. We are okay, but those around us are not to be trusted. It is religion, on a one to one basis. Religion assumes that a specific group has a monopoly on truth, that the group knows what is best, best for itself, best for you. On a one to one basis, we believe that we could handle something, but the average mere mortal could no handle it. And if we fear that we could not handle it, then for sure mere mortals could not handle it.

We want an ordered, protected environment, free of freedom. We fear freedom, not only for others, but for ourselves. We are not ready for freedom.