Posted on 07/06/2015 9:54:50 PM PDT by xuberalles
Freedom, both the incandescent whisper of revolution and the reduced triviality of commercialism, is the seed from which the most opulent columns of civilization have sprung and the hammer from which the most prolific empires have fallen. If history has taught us anything, other than man’s propensity for the most transcendent achievements and the most grotesque atrocities, it’s that you cannot fight or defeat an idea, even long after its armies are vanquished. It endures as long as man endures and believes in its undying premise.
What is liberty’s most quintessential definition? Is it merely a politician’s word, wrapped around the sentimentality of patriotism, or does it reside in the solemn handshake of a small group of idealists who risked their lives, the very future of their families, solely to taste its fruits without conditions or regret? Freedom, that which cannot be enumerated or quantified, is by no means a guarantee of equal means or outcome; it is a potential gateway to endless exploration and limitless potential. Freedom is both the twisted flame that ensnares the souls and limbs of men into the ruddy bonds of subjugation, and the divine light that inspires ordinary men to liberate their suffering. And yet those who use a pen or a gavel to tell you what to eat, think, feel or say in the name of the common good, no more speak on its behalf than those who slumber beneath our flag as their neighbors are condemned for merely speaking their minds.
George Washington once uttered the prophetic words, "It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition he may abuse it." Why else would a so-called man of privilege, besieged by an endless litany of defeat and apparent futility, lead 2,400 starved, ill-equipped and frostbitten recruits across the icy waters of the Delaware River on Christmas night as the American Revolution stood on a whisper’s edge of failure? Why else would thousands of young men, many who would never know true love or hold their own child in their arms again, charge the fortified beaches of Normandy to the foreign tombs of their impending deaths? “Why”, you ask? Because of freedom; that’s why! Without equal regard for all mankind, the dignity of life, liberty cannot endure.
Freedom is not an artifact to be dusted off at our complacent convenience or injustice’s greatest hour of need, nor is it a man-made institution to be hoarded and ruled over by the deluded whims of conspiring leaders. Those who are most determined in shackling the free will of others are often the least likely to abide by their own decrees; or the bidding of others. Liberty, without distortion or deceit, is a construct of God’s grace, the derivative of free will and the natural state of sentient beings. Do not believe for one moment that the same omnipotent creator who blessed us with rational thought and the ability to discern, would subsequently bemoan their usage or place limitations upon their inevitable dangers. To choose is to learn; to learn is to love.
Much of the world, but specifically America, has lost its intrinsic love for freedom because we longer appreciate its most quintessential gift: opportunity. Rather, we’ve allowed jaded politicians and counter-intuitive agendas to pervert the word of God and our nation’s founding creed under the wailing siren of mass conformity. That is, man’s natural born rights are derived from God, and not rationed by the self-serving hand of government. On this Fourth of July, our 239th celebration of our lauded independence, if “We the People” bestow one final gift to our beloved homeland let it be this indelible truth: America didn’t become the most affluent, powerful and revered country on Earth because our elected government fostered endless dependency, divided the people and dictated our every decision. The United States of America ascended to the pinnacle of hope and humanity because the work ethic and innovative spirit of her people, our love of God and our desire to be free, could not be bartered or threatened by any personality or party that sought to dispose of our dignity under the false banner of "unity" and "change".
Instead of berating the choices of our brethren and rejoicing in their capitulation to our will – humiliating Christians, demonizing conservatives, purging divergent cultures, and shamelessly indoctrinating our youth in lieu of respecting everyone’s liberties – why not simply be thankful for residing in a nation that allows all Americans to associate with like-minded people while respecting the rights of all of God’s children? The further we allow hate, race, religion and political propaganda to destroy our ability to reason - this last, best hope of mankind - the further we fall, both literally and ideologically, from perhaps the most transcendent point in modern human history: July 4th, 1776. God Bless America and may freedom forever endure!
What? Somebody buy you a thesaurus?
But what about freedom from micro-aggression?
Seriously, though, you have created a wonderful screed that is, sadly, anachronistic. July 4th means two things to everyone in this country. The first is fireworks (and the accompanying food and family). The second varies, according to where they position themselves in this long-standing struggle. The first group sees what you do, which is that this country exists and thrived because it is the manifestation of the best that human nature has to offer. The second group sees this country as a beneficiary of the worst that human nature has to offer. The first group has a wealth of evidence and reason on its side. The second, has history on its side, for malevolence never sleeps.
We are not a cross-roads. Looking back in the rear-view mirror, the cross-roads has long since passed into the receding horizon. Don’t ever fall for the illusion that those who hate this country are merely of a different opinion. Their hatred for this country, and, more importantly, the foundations of this country, are rooted in a primitive part of human nature not affected by reason or ethics.
Happy July 4th. Just remember, that the date comes around every year, and history does not reset annually.
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