I love liberty. The true kind that allows you make you own decisions AND reap the consequences that follow, be they good or bad. This definition of liberty has terrifying possibilities; it implies the freedom to make awful, life-changing, and sometimes permanently wrong decisions. It also implies imagination, individuality, and ultimately even humanity. Without liberty my life would be devoid of meaning, for what is life but the ability to make decisions and taste their fruits?
Liberty in America is eroding. I say eroding because there has been no frontal assault, just a peaceful yet steady stream eating away at the granite beneath, grain by grain. Few dare to attack liberty by blatantly limiting choices. Most people would involuntarily cringe at such an attack, driven by some innate understanding that freedom and choice have value. Rather the attack has come in attempts to limit consequences. Everyone makes mistakes at some point and most of us would sigh in relief to be absolved of the consequences of some of these mistakes. Few unfortunately realize that anytime we are relieved of a consequence, there is an accompanying decrease in liberty. When we do not bear the full brunt of our decisions, an oft-forgotten someone must bear the portion we do not. Not only is this someone deprived of their liberty because of the unwarranted burden he must bear, this forgotten person will now seek to limit our decisions since a bad decision will hurt him. Liberty and responsibility are inseparable and a decrease in one will always lead to a decrease in the other.
Well-meaning individuals and politicians genuinely seeking to help are unwittingly depriving Americans of the liberty that makes existence worthwhile. This blog will highlight ways in which liberty is being undermined, focusing primarily on the political realm and will discuss ways in which individuals can liberate themselves and America.
