It's True. Liberty Is At Risk.
Woody
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course
others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! -
Patrick Henry
Who is really stealing your liberty?
To listen to liberal pundits, bloggers and celebrities, George W.
Bush and the Patriot Act are steadily eroding the freedoms we once
held dear. Warrantless "wiretaps", Guantanamo and national identity
cards are all clever ruses designed to enslave us all and form a
"fascist state". Nevermind that we have an enemy determined to either
kill or subjugate us, neither of which are options many of us would
choose. The left only sees an enemy in their own government which is
equally determined to prevent the above mentioned scenarios. The
threat, I might add, is relatively temporary assuming our eventual
victory over it.
The real threat is one so insidious and gradual that no one even
notices it. Add to that the cloak it wears as it approaches; the
mantle of liberalism. While liberals claim to care for the people and
"only wish to help", they are deliberately suffocating freedom. How,
you may ask?
Exactly by the "help" they offer.
I'll take "healthcare" as one issue. A century ago, when people
got sick they called the local doctor, who came to their house to
treat them. They paid as best they could and often times bartered for
the services of the doctor. Granted, a century ago the quality of care
was not near as good as it is today, but people didn't obsess over it.
They worked, they played, thay ate and they sang. And they died. It
happens to all of us no matter how desperately we attempt to avoid it.
The difference today is this; back then, people were happy and
content. No one told them what to eat, what to smoke, how to raise
their children.
I absolutely know that a certain brand of reader will see this as
some sort of mad lament for a long gone past, and a part of that
assessment has some truth to it, but I do appreciate the advances in
medical care. I just miss the liberty we enjoyed then. So where am I
going with this, you may ask.
The Scheme
What is the best way to control a person or a group of people?
Offer them goodies and keep giving until they need them. Once they can
no longer remember how to do without, begin setting conditions for the
continuance. Now you make the rules, and the recipient has little
choice but to obey. Or little desire to do otherwise.
So where does that lead us today? We are being dictated to on
matters of personal choice (don't worry, the abortion issue is not
lost on me), because if we decide to smoke, or eat eggs, or not wear a
seatbelt in our cars, we are chastised and fined. Government is now
telling us which legal pleasures we are permitted or not permitted to
engage in, and it is all done under the guise of "cost" to the
nation.
To the best of my recollection, the people never asked for the
government to pay for our healthcare. And had they known about the
ensuing rules and regulations that were to come I'm confident that
they would have rejected the offer outright.
What is really frightening is the fact that we have all of these
impositions on our lives now, and government isn't even totally in
control yet where healthcare is concerned. How far would they go if we
nationalized the system? Would we have speakers set up all over street
corners to guide us through morning exercise routines? We've already
seen the government getting involved in the "trans fat" issue.
Being healthy is a good choice, I agree, but it's also the
slowest possible rate at which one can die. I smoke. I drink. I eat
eggs and bacon. Oh, and salt. If I could gain two years on my life
without those things? No thanks, leave me alone with my pleasure. I
could probably live to well over 100 if I gave up everything and got
hooked up to machines right now. Again, no thanks.
...give me liberty or give me death! -Patrick Henry
What a smart man.
-Woody