On Sunday we will celebrate our nation’s 234th birthday, and I cannot think of a more fitting occasion for us to remind ourselves what the United States stands for. In a word, it is LIBERTY.
Liberty is that magnificent political, social, and economic quality enjoyed only by free and sovereign citizens, men and women on equal standing before the law, and before each other, where they are free to strive and achieve and seek their own successes.
Implicit in the quality of Liberty is what it is not. As I myself wrote four years ago,
“One of the greatest things we can say about Liberty is that it isn’t an –ism. Liberty requires no creed, has no silly little red book, professes no tenets, encourages no class warfare, and issues no manifestos. Liberty is the condition where a free citizen goes about his business as he sees fit, under his own abilities and in pursuit of his own goals. Liberty is just normal life. …
“Liberty as a political condition has an equally attractive economic twin: free enterprise. Let’s not call it capitalism, let’s just keep it simple. It is “free” in that it is unfettered except by the basic rule of law, but it’s not a free-for-all. And “enterprise”—what a great word! A venture by an individual seeking to make his fortune, be it across a continent or just down the street. Think of the innumerable daily economic liberties we enjoy. They go hand in hand with political liberty.”
Liberty is a precious and rare thing, handed down from generation to generation with solemn admonishments to preserve it at all costs, for it is in fact something to fight for.
Sadly, then, it’s also something that I think we as a nation have taken for granted, and do not widely or fully understand. Many today think the essence of America is “freedom” (nothing but the lack of immediate restraint) or “democracy” (nothing but tarted up mob rule). And Liberty seems to be under ever-greater assault by vapid legislators and grasping politicians, eager as always to send forth swarms of officers to harass us, as Jefferson charged King George III with in the Declaration. Unless we reverse that long trend by the ample means now at our disposal, I see ominous times ahead. And then we will really begin, unfortunately, to mourn what we had, what was handed down, and what we failed to preserve.
So let us resolve not to allow that to happen. Stand up, speak up, be counted! Refuse to be silent, and if necessary make a damn nuisance of yourself! Don’t be afraid to speak in the bluntest terms to your elected representatives, especially when they trespass on your Liberties and transgress the Constitution. And do it with a smile.
Finally, by all means, have a blast on the 4th. Eat, shoot, drink, watch the fireworks, enjoy the parades, whatever you have on tap. Read the Declaration to friends and family– remind them what a great thing it is to be an American, to live in a state of LIBERTY.
