Liberty. How appropriate I chose July 4th to write about it- on purpose of course! Like the movie, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", liberty is having some similarities with the main character. If you haven't seen the movie, Benjamin goes backward in age- born old and getting younger. Sadly, I see this happening to our liberty. Its going backward, from the old true meaning of freedom, to a new, controlled tyrannicle democracy. You heard me right- democracy. "But Mr. Goodfella, isn't democracy good?"' said the young boy to the old cigar smokin', cannoli eating, Italian-heritage American? "Not necessarily", say I. Let's look at both for a moment. Websters defines Liberty as, "the quality or state of being free, the power to do as one pleases, freedom from arbitrary or despotic control". It defines democracy as, "a government by the people, especially rule of the majority, a government in which power is vested in the people, and exercised by them through a system of representation,involving free election. Its the "majority" and representation", that has me worried. The majority isn't always right- the representation (yes, the politicians on Capitol Hill), is usually wrong. Liberty and Democracy do have some underlying differences. There is a quote I can refer to by Benjamin Franklin- "The more democratic we become, the more freedoms we lose". I can also refer to an analogy that has been posted on the internet many times in the past few weeks, " Democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding what to have for dinner". "Liberty is a well-armed lamb protesting the decision". "But Mr Goodfella, said the boy, "Are you becoming un-American because you think the people who run our government stink?" "No,little boy, the asshol--whoops, sorry, I mean the stinkers who run things, have nothing to do with my loving this country. I love it because it was founded on freedom and liberty, and I want it to stay that way. I don't want to see government tyranny."
Now for those of you who are wondering what got me started on this subject, continue reading the two items that follow that will drive my point home even more. There is a website call "The Guy from Boston" (theguyfromboston.net). I'm a regular viewer of Joe Ligotti's web video rants, and his latest one tells about a Massachusetts law to ban cigar smoking outdoors. Take time to watch it. Joe drives home a point about government interference in our lives, and very abruptly states to the bureaucrats, "Leave me the fuck alone !!". Whether you smoke cigars or not, he is 100% correct about freedoms being lost. In another case, a recent Los Angeles Times article, points out a man can't find work because no one will hire him since he has a bad credit score. They say because if this, he may be unreliable. Bullshit. This is control through, and a loss of liberty by a "majority"- our banking system- the Federal Reserve, not even a government agency- (I'll bet a lot of you didn't even know this). This poor guy loses his job because of our current economy, falls behind on his bills, and now he's unreliable? I'll write two words that will prove this is crap-, Bernie Madoff. I'll bet he had great credit, but I wouldn't trust him to pick up my dry cleaning. Need I go on? Go back and read my FICO blog for more proof.
Yes, we do need a government, but a small efficient one, not a big tripping on its own feet one. Protect me from harmful things Mr. Government, not from myself, and not from something that is minuscule that I can easily avoid (like the outdoor cigar smoke). I want a strong military defense, not martial law. I want our food supply protected by the USDA or FDA, but don't tell me not to have a fat loaded triple cheeseburger. We need a good school system, infrastructure, and health system, but ones that can't abused by those who don't want to become legal US citizens.
Raise the flag, blow off the fireworks, I am a true liberty seeking American, who will fight for my rights, even if I have to call my congressmen or senator a lobbyist seeking jerk. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is in, and guaranteed by, the Declaration of Independence because our founding fathers knew it was right. Lets not disappoint them. Keep fighting for it, for as Americans, its all we truly share.
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