Liberty or Freedom?

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It has been said that there are two kinds of people in the world; those who divide people into two categories and those who do not. I am both of these. No not schizophrenic; but sometimes I do one and other times I reject same. The simple truth is that when one writes, especially short articles like blog posts, it is a convenient rhetorical device intended to buttress a point the author wants to impart within a narrow window of reader attention. Such is the case here; full disclosure. There are two basic types of Americans. Those who are at least moderately schooled in the Founding of America, and those who are not. Why is this important? Because the latter do not appreciate nor understand what Liberty truly is and why it is vitally important to the existence and prosperity of the republic that we call The United States of America.

It begins with the word. Liberty. What does it really mean? It is a fact that many human concepts are at once simple...and extremely complicated. Many confuse Liberty with Freedom, yet they are vastly unique. Freedom, at it's core is anarchy. Freedom means that anyone can do anything they want without regard to other people or consequences. Freedom, in it's most basic form means that you are free to do as you wish. Free to use power and force to take. Free to abuse. Free to kill. No consequences beyond natural repercussions of each specific action. Pure freedom is the total absence of restrictions. The strongest or smartest survive. All others are victims. Freedom is anarchy. Such is the animal world. All animals are free.

So what is Liberty Keith? Liberty can best be described as a contract. Liberty fuses the dichotomy of inherent God-given rights with the suppression of same for the sake of communal responsibility. It is an agreement among a civilized People to preserve ones individual rights while respecting the individual rights of those we choose to accept as our countrymen. Much like a legal contract there are stipulations that are binding to the agreement. Hence the phrase, choose to accept. Liberty, as a contract, is not a guarantor of rights to all! While it recognizes each individuals God-given rights, it demands that those rights end at the doorstep of your neighbor. Those who refuse to accept the contract of Liberty can be banished from the community forthwith! The primary difference between Liberty and Freedom is responsibility.

What does this mean in the context of current cultural disputes? Let me take perhaps the most controversial of all issues as an example, abortion. There is no doubt to those that respect all life that abortion is butchery. However, we as a nation have accepted it thus far at some level. It doesn't make it right; but it has been tacitly agreed to, primarily because our leaders do not have the will to ban it; and we keep re-elected them. But, most agree that it is inherently wrong to make all citizens pay for it. This would be forcing one individuals belief upon another. We as a nation reject this. Your supposed right to murder your child ends at my wallet! Liberty is not always pretty.

We currently are witnessing the erosion of this most basic American principle; one's rights end at another's door. In depth analysis would be much too lengthy for one article but examples include: gay marriage (forcing those who disagree to participate), sexual deviancy (attempts to normalize abnormal desires), confusing religious freedom (accepting Islam's fascism with it's scriptural demand for violence), embrace of unbridled immigration (purposeful dilution of American culture). There are many more. ALL are examples of Freedom, not Liberty. One may be free to accept all of this but all are abhorrent to the contract of Liberty. Freedom, in the context of the republic we are promised in the United States Constitution, means that you are free to go elsewhere if you do not agree with the civilized norms we as Americans include in our contract of Liberty.

Where does this leave us in our struggle to preserve this, the greatest nation in the history of Mankind? Simply this; do not allow our natural inclination to be free, to lead us to the abrogation of our responsibility to preserve this contract of Liberty for our progeny. This is not about you, me or any one individual. This is about all that come after us for generations to come. Our Liberty comes with responsibility. Accept it. Embrace it. Preserve it for all who accept it's stipulation. Your rights end at my door. Do NOT be afraid to protect Liberty and REJECT freedom!

by: Keith D. Rodebush

P.S. Even our name is confusing. United States of America. We are united supposedly only in our adherence to the Constitution. In point of fact, the Founders intended for the Several States to be bastions of experimental Liberty. Each State was meant to pursue their own version of Liberty and Americans would be free to choose which State they wanted to live in and live with. This works only when the federal government adheres to the principle of enumerated power; which we have long ignored. Ignorance Breeds Tyranny!