Freedom and Responsibility 1

We can never be free of the responsibility to preserve freedom- Me 2008

Ladies and gentleman, this is our failure. Accepting it will lead to resolving it. We let it go. This middle class works hard and when it is time to relax, we do. When it is time to vote, we do. Where we fail is when we pick someone to represent us, we do not hold them accountable between elections and when the elections come around, they look squeeky clean. We have these vague memories, "Didn't he get in trouble for embezzlement, or insider trading?" We have to hold them more accountable. Our freedoms are eroding before us each time a law is passed and the laws that are passed wouldn't be on their own merit.
I would never suggest that China is more free than the United States but let us take a look at direction. They have a booming economy at least in part because people have recently been allowed to own property meanwhile here, the courts have recently expanded eminent domain to buisnesses that can generate more taxes. Now China is not nearly as free as we are but I ask you, which country is heading in the right direction?
We are caught up in emotions that we have taken a momentary lapse of reason. We put way to much stock in voices like Al Franken or Ann Coulter without realizing that they represent the absolute freaky fringes. They are hell bent on dividing and are completely void of reason. If the two of them raised a child together, it might actually be human or better yet, American. It is time to unite. We cannot afford to get torn apart much more. The nation simply cannot go to where congress has already.
We cannot just show up for elections. Everytime we count on the federal government or give them another responsibility, we also give up freedom. Freedom and responsibility are completely tied together. Our tragedies illustrate this and they also illustrate our ability to unite. Lets look at 9/11 and Katrina.
9/11 sucked. For the love of God, I hope no one reading this would disagree. We felt violated and scared. What else happened? We immediately reacted emotionally and gave the federal government the ability to pass laws that had failed as bills before. They packaged it in the most patriotic way imaginable. The USA Patriot Act. Benjamin Franklin once said something along the line of "Those who would trade freedom for security deserve neither." This is exactly what he was talking about. Don't get me wrong, if our government wants to wiretap international calls from terrorists, I would not defend the terrorist or those who are speaking to them in our country. I have a big problem with many other parts of the law. My point is that the government failed us and used us in response to 9/11. I was wondering if we would have to change the Star Spangled Banner to The land of the not as free, and the home of the not as brave. Is this not accurate? Freedom runs in our blood and any erosion of it make America anemic. The funny thing is that our government has now turned this into a wedge issue. More so, it appears to have landed on the wrong side. Go Figure?
Katrina was a failure of government at every level, especially locally but certainly federally. They gave out the ATM cards for people to use where there were no stores, restraunts, or anything. Were they expecting everyone to buy a boat? FEMA gave us all of the evidence that we need to dissolve that agency.
For both of these tragedies, who contributed time, money, and resources? United Americans did. We sent the money. We volunteered. We sent the generators, water, tools, etc. When we are united, we can and have accomplished miracles.
Dn't tell the government I told you so but we can unite without tragedy!