Just thinking about where we are as a nation. Seems
you would have to live under a rock not to notice the level of intensity, the
virtual civil war between the left and the right. The left and the right— the
words themselves aptly reflect the polarity of two opposing political positions.
Yet even the other classifications of types of
people have fallen under the magnetic pull of one or the other, the left or the
right. It is as if the people are being separated by an invisible sieve to
prepare for the confrontation, the inevitable clash.
The words now ring hollow: have civil discourse;
cooperate for a solution to the nation’s problems. The contenders for the
championship belt of America’s future have been introduced into the ring, and
the gloves have little padding.
In the end, it is a question of whether or not the
present mindset, the present culture as a whole, has the courage to be free.
And before America’s contemporary mindset can even be tested for its courage,
what is at stake needs to be understood: the essence of America and her historical
foundations, and the value of freedom itself.
When a convict has been in prison for many years,
he settles into a certain steady state, a facet of the human condition. He has
learned to rely on those who control him. He doesn’t have to think of many
alternatives; he has become accustomed to operating within the bounds of his
captors.
When many of these prisoners are freed, they become
gripped with fear and uncertainty. Ultimately, many yield to old behaviors, wanting
to return to the familiar state of predictable dependence. They forsake freedom
for predictable control. The toughness of prison life gives way to cowardice in
the face of freedom.
A well-kept secret is this: freedom is not for
wimps. Nor is it cheap. It is difficult for a people to achieve and is easy to
lose. The alternative is being comfortable letting others control you and make
decisions for you. The room with a bed and a toilet becomes your cowardly haven
from the responsibility of pursuing life, liberty and happiness.
In President Obama’s recent speech to a joint
session of congress, he stated that America was not about “dismantling
government and just leaving it to whomever to make the rules.” He does not want
you to make your control closer to your community, county or state. He appeals
to the jobless in particular, “let me take care of you.”
Don’t sell out your freedom. Take courage. Honor
those who sacrificed their lives in battle for your freedoms. You can make it
until the economy turns around in the manner of free markets and capitalism
that has proven the vibrancy of freedom. You owe it not just to yourself but
possibly your descendants for many, many years.
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