We Believe

in Freedom.

What is Freedom? No. That’s not it. You don’t have a clue, do you? Allow me to explain…

Freedom… it’s being allowed to do what you want, right? If you could do whatever the heck you wanted to do, whenever you wanted to, wherever you wanted to, then you would be free. Right? Yes, we all pretty much agree on that.

Now ask yourself this… if you can do whatever you want, wherever, and whenever you wanted, then what about your neighbor? Yes, your neighbor. Is he truly free too, or is he only free to do what you want him to do? And if he’s only free to do what you want him to do, then he is not free to do what he wants to do, and so he’s not really free then, is he?

You know what irks me? People who scream about wanting Freedom, but not understanding what it is, not understanding what it means, and not practicing it. If you’d like a law against gay marriage, then you’re anti-freedom. If you’d like a law against a particular religion, then you’re anti-freedom. If you’d like a law banning atheism, then you’re anti-freedom. If you want to pass a law banning something you don’t like, putting limits on your neighbor, then you are anti-Freedom. You don’t quite get it yet though, do you? Freedom means everyone, not just you, can do whatever they want, whenever they want, wherever they want, however they want. Everyone. Not just you.

And that means that they will probably be doing things, or believing things that you don’t approve of. So if you won’t stand up and scream for their right to be different, then you are not standing up and screaming for Freedom. What you want is where everyone is free to do what you tell them to do. Am I right? I thought so. That’s called Fascism, or Communism. Take your pick. Either way, it’s not American. It’s not Freedom. It’s Tyranny.

Me, personally, I’m irked by religious fanatics. I’d love to ban them. But that’s not freedom. I’m irked by people wearing their pants too low. Can’t ban that either. I hate opera. Have to live with that too. Rap music. Ugh. Freedom means everyone can do their own thing, whether you like it or not. That is what freedom is. That is what America is supposed to be.

Murderers should be allowed to run rampant killing people then too, right? Well, no. Of course not. But why not? Where do we draw the line? Where do we put the limits on what we call freedom and what we simply don’t allow? That’s the gazillion-dollar question…

I’ll tell you where I think the line should be: as far away as possible. Meaning, I draw the line at harm to others. Do whatever the heck you want, and if it doesn’t hurt anyone, then it’s just fine by me. Be gay. Be religious. Be Atheist. Wear your pants too low. Listen to rap. Attend the Opera. Go ahead. Do whatever you want, and as long as it doesn’t hurt me, then it’s just fine in my book.

Cause me harm, however, and that’s another story. You have no freedom to cause me harm.

Now let’s be clear here. It’s not just physical harm. Mental anguish counts as harm too. You are not free to be a bully, or an asshole. Women over 300 pounds should not be allowed to go gallivanting around on the beach wearing a string bikini. Oh the pain of that shocking memory. I still cringe…

Would this make us free, if we drew the line at mental or physical harm? No. Think again.

Did you know that the government, since 2005, scans and records every single email you send? They do. Did you know that the encryption you are allowed to use has a back door so that the government can easily decode even the encrypted email you send? It does. Did you know that everything you do on the internet is scanned by your government? It is. They know you’re reading this document. Yeah, too late now. You’re tagged. You’re screwed. You’re on “the list”. So what? So… your government now has reason to label you as a domestic terrorist. And that means they can grab you, and your family, and hold you forever, without charge. Yes they can. You let them pass those laws. You gave them permission to simply make you, and your entire family, disappear. No judge. No hearing. No probable cause. No warrant. No phone call. No attorney. No nothing. You are just gone.

When you go out shopping, you are watched and recorded by countless video cameras. Your every purchase on your credit card is recorded.  In fact, you didn’t even get out of the house this morning without being recorded. That cell phone you carry is also a handy little tracking device. Did you talk on the phone today? Recorded. Every word. Every text message. Your government has it. It is in your file.

Twenty four hours a day. Everything you do is monitored and recorded. Is this freedom? And you can’t even ride a goddamn bicycle without a helmet! It’s illegal! Absolutely fucking amazing… You are, in fact, free to do only what they tell you to.

Freedom. Feh. Not here. Not this. This is not America. This is not the country we were supposed to be. This is not what we should be. This is not what we want to be. I would not die for this piece of crap we have become. I would not give my life to defend this country. Our forefathers would not either.

Your government has plans to microchip every citizen. Yes, you too. It will make you easier to track. With a little device implanted in your arm, they can follow you wherever you go. Your government has plans to make every airline passenger wear an electronic dog collar, so they can zap you, instantly, if you so much as complain about the food on the flight. Oh yes, they do. You will be tagged, poked, prodded, chained, brainwashed, and told how to live. You are now. You just don’t know it.

Give me real freedom. That, I would be willing to die for.