Freedom Isn't Free

We’ve heard that a lot over the last several years, haven’t we? Especially in an attempt to guilt us into supporting the unprovoked invasion of the sovereign nation of Iraq. But what does it mean, really?

Well, my speculation is that it hasn’t really applied to military action since WWII. If you wanted to stretch it, you could apply it to both Korea and Viet Nam, because of the aggressive policy of the Soviet Politburo. However, since we didn’t “win” either of those engagements (the Communists are still in charge) and our freedom hasn’t been lost thirty and fifty years later, I would say that that IS stretching it.

The Argentineans trying to take the Falkland Islands back from the British empire didn’t threaten our freedom, nor did Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait in 1991. And the Iraqis certainly didn’t threaten our freedom this time.

So just what DOES “freedom isn’t free” mean?

Here’s what I think…

Freedom isn’t free. It costs vigilance.

When Congress passes laws that clearly violates the first, fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth amendments to the Constitution (the so-called “U. S. A. P. A. T. R. I. O. T (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001) Act), it is up to us to express our displeasure to the Congress, and to vote against those representatives who passed it (including Hillary Clinton).

Freedom isn’t free. It costs knowledge.

If we KNOW what those amendments say, and in what ways the “Patriot Act” violates them, we remain free. If we know the situation in the Middle East that led, at least in part, to the attacks on America in 1993 and 2001, then we are better-equipped to avoid such attacks in the future.

And, yes. Freedom isn’t free. It costs a military capable of protecting us from unexpected natural disasters and foreign invasion.

As anyone who knows me knows, I am exceptionally proud of our men and women in uniform. I come from a military family myself. I even attempted to volunteer during the Gulf War of 1991, only to discover that the same health issues that prevented me from joining the Navy out of high school would prevent me from joining again. Right now, our military is so heavily focused on attempting to quell the response to our unprovoked invasion of the sovereign nation of Iraq and a severely reduced enlistment to serve in this unjust war. Why, for instance, did it take our National Guard (purpose – to guard our nation) five days to respond to Hurricane Katrina? Because the Guard units best able to respond were all in Iraq and had to be called home.

Freedom isn’t free. It costs a vote.

Peace.

Randal