(Photo by Dan Dennis on Unsplash
It is time, maybe even past time, to discuss what has many Americans in our Country upset. It is the perception that America and our freedoms are under attack. It is not a race thing or a gender thing, a religious thing, or any other thing. It is an American thing. People from so many different points of view see America coming apart at the seams.
They see a world they no longer understand, a world that seems alien to them. We have a media and politicians who every day feed red meat to their supporters. A new culture has arisen that wants people fighting, bickering, and engaging in almost violent confrontations with each other. This is stupid, at best, and dangerous, at worst.
America is a country that has never been perfect, and it never will be. But my freedom is more important than some illusion of perfection. Many Americans get lost in this sophomoric argument about people or a country not being perfect. They talk about our country as if it is one living organism with one collective mind. This has never been the case. It will never be and it is not how it is now.
Our government is important, but the individual is more important. And what is really important is our freedom. As a matter of fact, let me say it…My freedom is more important than your feelings. It may sound tough, but it is true. I was raised in the South, and I was raised to be polite. I am and I will continue to be a kind person. I believe in people, and I believe in the community, everyone in the community. But let me say it again – my freedom is more important than your feelings.
A person’s misunderstanding of my beliefs is not a restriction to me. I am a free man with freedoms given to me by a Creator and freedoms not given to me by man, a government, or a corporation. I want people to accept me; however, a person’s ignorance of my beliefs will not be a hindrance to me.
So, we need a new movement – one that is committed to individual freedom for all. And as Americans, we already have a great document in place, The Constitution.
The following should be considered:
- Our Constitution was written for all political parties, for all Americans, regardless of their original nationality, for all religions, and for all people.
- In order to preserve “America” and to keep this country “We, The People,” we must fight for the preservation of the Constitution
- If you believe in “We, the People,” then that’s your fight.
- Our forefathers – although they were not perfect – were the creators of the most heartfelt written document in the world. It’s been and can be amended very carefully, when needed, but not destroyed.
- We, as a nation, are divided, and the principles for which we stand are being destroyed every day, and if we don’t take up this fight it will no longer be “We, The People” but “We, The Government”
- We have one beautifully written Constitution, and one beautifully designed Flag that is an umbrella that covers us all. This is all we need to maintain what we have always known as America.
If someone wants to challenge that thought, it is important that they offer an alternative. For someone to criticize without offering a solution or an alternative concept, is intellectually disingenuous. Talking about past imperfections of our country without offering solutions is empty. And let me add, if I don’t agree with your solution, it does not make me a bad person. We just have a different opinion, and I will respect your ideas and expect you to do the same.
Freedom can be tricky. To have freedom, I have to respect all and I have a level of expectation that you will respect me. Hence, as I have said, my freedom is more important that your feelings. Freedom is Freedom. So, let’s have a new movement about personal freedom. A movement where people are respected as individuals, and that there in no desire for a monolithic belief system where people are defined as either “good guys” or “bad guys,” depending on their political philosophies.
I am not interested in being a Republican or a Democrat. I am interested in being free. I am not interested in anyone person coming to save the Republic. I am interested in my freedom. If you care about personal freedoms, I will vote for you. If you don’t, then I cannot support you.
If you want to steal, limit, or interfere with personal freedoms and try to control what people think or believe, you will not have my support and people need to rise up against that abuse of power. We need to resist any form of mind control or manipulation, when it comes to limiting our freedoms. We need a new movement, and that movement is living in the freedom given to us by our Creator, a freedom not given to us by man or government, but by the Giver of Life, the one who has created us free.
Joseph B. St John