Threats to Freedom
[1] We previously discussed a prime threat to freedom which was the assault on free speech coming from many different directions. Keeping speech free, even annoying or disgusting speech, is essential to maintain a free society. That is the point of greatest concern but there are others that we will now cover.
[2] The second freedom at threat is the freedom to bear arms.
One of the greatest threats to the beast of unjust authority is a populace that is armed. One of the first steps that enemies of freedom take when they ascend to power is to disarm the public to make them much easier to intimidate and control.
What is disturbing is the number of people who see no need for the Second Amendment as insurance against a possible dictator. They seem to think a loss of freedom or the rise of a Hitler or Stalin could never happen to us. Wrong. It could happen to any nation and could even happen to the world as a whole – a scary thought indeed.
We have already given up too many of our freedoms. We have reached a point where freedom-loving individuals must take a stand and say, “no more!”
[3] Freedom over the fruits of our labors. Most people are happy to pay a reasonable amount to contribute to or common security and welfare, but when taxes get too high the laborers begin to feel that their freedom to enjoy their hard-earned gains are threatened. If we add up all the taxes we pay, including the subtle ones, the average person pays well over 50% of his income. It is interesting that it was common for slaves in the Roman Empire to be required to pay a third of their earnings to their master. We pay more to our master [government0 than the ancient slaves who ran a business for the slaveholder.
Now we are at a point where taxes are not only increasing but we are asked to pay more. We are asked to pay our “fair share.”
I’d say that paying more tribute than a Roman slave is more than a fair share and a threat to individual freedom.
[4] Freedom from excessive laws and regulations.
Like taxes the average person does not feel his freedom is threatened by reasonable laws but it seems our legislators have too much time on their hands and want to control our lives with increasing detail.
A symbol of this overreach is New York Mayor Bloomberg’s law that attempted to prohibit the sale of large drinks at fast food restaurants. It is true that sodas are not very healthy, but it is up to individuals to decide what is good for their health, not the state. The state regulates where people can smoke and drink to excess. They tell us what drugs we can and cannot buy and incessantly preach to us about things we should be doing for our own good.
The trouble with giving the state too much regulatory power is that in attempting to protect us from ourselves they often wind up denying access to products that individuals feel would improve their lives. There are many, but here is a handful. • Medical Marijuana • Raw milk. Many feel this is healthier than pasteurized milk but it is illegal to sell it in many areas of the country. • Natural and often harmless alternative medicines. For instance, Laetrile a cancer medicine derived from apricot pits, is banned by the FDA. • Legislators are always seeking to ban natural cures and even vitamins. They have even proposed to make the sale of all but a few supplements and vitamins illegal and subject to a doctors prescription.
[5] The freedom of belief. Ryan Rotela attends a University in Florida and struggles to do well in classes as well as live his religion. Then one day he was put to the test.
His professor, Deandre Poole, who is also a political activist, gave some strange commands to his class.
First, he told the students to take out a blank sheet of paper and write the word JESUS in bold letters. This order seemed strange to Ryan but he complied.
Next his teacher instructed them to place the piece of paper on the floor face up. This also seemed odd but Ryan complied.
Finally, he ordered the students to stomp on the word Jesus in front of them.
This was too much for Ryan. He refused and picked up the sheet of paper instead.
He thought the order was outrageous and complained to school officials. Instead of reprimanding the professor they turned on Ryan and suspended him from the class.
Perhaps, even more disturbing than this was that Ryan was the only one who objected to stomping on Jesus.
Read the story HERE
This is just one of many examples that comes over the media of how the freedom to follow one’s own harmless beliefs are being threatened within our society. Here are a few more:
Not only is prayer outlawed in schools but even the mention of God or Christ is largely prohibited. Some schools do not allow religious or even patriotic symbols to be worn. Kids have been sent home or chastised for wearing shirts bearing the American flag or even flag pins.
Nothing of a religious nature is allowed to be held on any public property. This was not the way the Founders interpreted the separation of church and state for in the early days of the Republic the local courthouse was often used for church and spiritual meetings of all kinds. Prayer was common everywhere and there were lots of Bibles in all schools. Even the hated early Mormon missionaries were often allowed to hold meetings in public property.
It may be true that the State originally embraced religion a too much for the modern tastes of the majority, but now they have gone the other extreme and are acting as an agent to mold belief and suppress that which they deem undesirable.
Big brother decides that its sanctioned beliefs are to be presented and others are not thus restricting the free choice of students.
For instance, there are scientific arguments for and against Intelligent Design, but only one side is allowed, which is the atheist view.
The Powers-That-Be are big believers in orthodox climate change theory and again only seek to have one side presented.
Then the overwhelming majority of teachers and professors are Democrats and openly give their political views in class while the more conservative views are either ridiculed or penalized.
We are supposed to be living in a free society and in a free society there must be tolerance of people expressing their views and both sides presented. We must be allowed to live our spiritual lives without hindrance from the beast of unjust authority.
I received feedback that reasoned that the request to stomp on the paper with Jesus written on it was not that unreasonable because in reality it was just a sheet of paper. No harm done.
The problem here was not that the kid was merely ordered to stomp on a sheet of paper with words on it. Yes, it is true that if one sees the paper in that way no harm is done. It wouldn’t be much different than stomping on a picture of Hitler or opening a book.
There are two things at play that you are overlooking.
[1] If faced with such an order few would look at the command as merely stomping on a sheet of paper. If ordered to stomp on Jesus, a picture of your kid, your wife or your mother, few would just see the exercise as just stomping on a sheet of paper.
The command would obviously be an affront to what 99% of humanity would consider decent and would be a humiliating thing to be forced to do.
[2] Secondly, even though I could take the viewpoint of the observer and see the thing as a mere piece of paper I would consider it an affront on my free agency and normal human respect. Most likely the teacher sees the representation of Jesus as being more than just ink – as something he wants to diminish. What is his motive here? Why Jesus – why not Mohammed, Obama or anyone else? Perhaps if he, being a Democrat, first demonstrated his open mindedness by stomping on a picture of Obama he would be somewhat justified in his class exercise.
I would consider it an insult to be forced to stomp on a symbol of any human being, which would be interpreted by all in the room as making a statement that this particular human has no value. I would refuse a silly command like this just for the principle of the thing.
I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery. – Thomas Jefferson, letter to James Madison, January 30, 1787
March 19, 2013
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