The Cost of Freedom

Americans have become too comfortable with the freedoms and right they enjoy. Too many seem to think that merely being born on the earth or even this country is a guarantee that they will be free. This isn't about Americans not voting in elections. This is about Americans not being active citizens. The "somebody else will do it" mentality has created an environment where corruption and politics as usual rule the day. Too many good people don't do the right thing because the costs are too high for them or they have too much to lose. They see corruption and do nothing about it; some even carry it out for employers and bosses.

The end effect is that we have a society where good people are punished and hurt, while the criminals prosper and rule.

Many people probably feel like, "what can I do, I am just one person?". What they fail to realize is that while most of us can't stop the corrupt Congressman, Senator, or Govenor; we can stop things at the local level by getting involved. Our country and political system was designed to be governed at the local level. It was predicated on the assumption that a vigilant and involved citizenry would ensure justice would be done and evils discovered. It would keep bad men from rising to the state or national level because their corruption would have been discovered earlier.

Citizenship goes beyond just the rights afforded in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. It also carries with it the duty to see that the rights of others are not violated or abused.

It is at this juncture that so many of us fall short. We see corruption and we do nothing about it. I suspect that this is mainly due to three reasons: fear of reprisal by those in power, the person whose rights are being violated does not share our views, or they are too poor to really matter.

I have seen in my own life where those who get involved to thwart the designs of evil men are derided in the media, their employment is terminated or business hurt. I am sure that it will only be a matter of time before I see someone killed for it.

What I fear is that too many Americans will not get involved, choosing their own self interest rather than protecting the rights of their fellow citizens. What they fail to realize that when anothers freedoms and rights are violated, those same rights that they have are also violated at the same time. Slowly but surely, they will find themselves in a place where they too cannot claim their rights, because there are no longer protections in place to ensure them. Their freedoms have been taken from them without them even knowing.

The last line of the Declaration of Independence says, "And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."

This is what it took to achieve freedom. It took men who were willing to sacrifice their lives, their fortunes, and sacred honor. This threshold to maintain a free country has not changed! These sacrifices are the cost of freedom.

If you are not willing to sacrifice these things, you have already decided to join those who want to destroy freedom!