WITH
FREEDOM COMES CHOICES, WITH CHOICES COMES RESPONSIBILTY
By Chuck Jackson
This is what freedom is all
about
“… the only purpose for which power can be rightfully
exercised over any member of a civilized community against his will is to
prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a
sufficient warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or to forbear
because it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier,
because in the opinions of other to do so would be wise or even right. These are
good reasons for remonstrating with him, or reasoning with him, or persuading
him, or entreating him, but not for compelling him, or visiting him with any
evil in case he do otherwise.”
--John Stuart Mill, On Liberty
[1859]
We live
in a country where millions died for you and I to have freedom. One
must always remember that freedom was and is not free; it was bought
with blood.
I am
tired of the “elitist’s” trying to tell us what we
can or cannot do. That blood that was shed for their freedom was also
shed for ours. There are things in this life that we should or should
not do; but with freedom to make choices comes the freedom to suffer
the consequences.
We the
people are not getting, or else we are choosing to ignore the
information given to make informed choices. If it is a matter of not
getting the information to make an informed choice then this becomes
an “educational” issue: (when people cannot read the
information this is a schooling issue). If people are ignoring the
information given to make an informed decision, they should be free
to suffer the consequences. In some circles this is known as owning
up to our responsibilities. Sometimes this is not pretty.
Being a
parent is more involved then making babies. Sometimes parents need to
pay attention to what their kids are doing instead of abdicating
responsibility (what a concept).
Let’s
take smoking for instance (which taxpayers subsidize). There has been
a written warning on the side of each pack of cigarettes for over 30
years, with people fighting the cigarette industry over the health
risks of smoking longer then that. If a person freely chooses to
smoke because he or she wants to be “cool” or whatever,
it is their problem because with freedom comes responsibility.
If the
6th, 7th, 8th grader cannot read the
warning on the pack of cigarettes we have an “educational”
problem. If the person can read but chooses to ignore the warning it
becomes their problem. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.
When a
tobacco company official lies under oath this becomes a criminal act.
FREEDOM DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO LIE!!
Another
one is the television, if you do not like the crap being dished out
(mindless fodder) either change the channel or turn the idiot box
off. Do something, quit whining.
If a
person on his or her own free will, goes out and has multiple sex
partners after being informed that this sort of behavior could lead
to problems (part of the educational issue) and comes down with a
sexually infectious disease they should be free to suffer the
consequences. Yes folks some lessons in life are more difficult then
others. Again freedom has a price.
A wise
man named Paul Harvey often states that we cannot legislate morality.
The morality issue is not the disease but rather the multiple sex
partners. The consequences are the disease. If we want to change the
moral standard (which was the Bible) the rest of us need to be
informed.
We can
make good choices or we can make bad choices. The biggest problem
facing this country is a clear definition as to which standard to use
for morality. We seem to have thrown God out of our courthouses and
also out of our schools. The court system seems to have the power and
freedom to do that. I happen to believe tossing out God was a mistake
and every day one can read about the consequences of our moral
dilemma ripping at the fabric of this country. I am willing to listen
to suggestions for standards of morality, although I prefer the
Bible.
Do not
just blindly trust some preacher to tell you what the Bible says.
Open the book and read it yourself. Why is it that people like George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Daniel Webster, Abraham
Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. just to name a few, could accept the
Bible but many so called “intellectuals” can not?
Yes this
requires one to get off their duff and show some initiative. Freedom
is not free it comes with responsibility.