Independence Day

July 4, 2016.  July 4th is the day that the United States of America celebrates as our Independence Day.  Much of the conversation today, and on each July 4th centers around freedom.  Freedom is a concept that is central to American identity.  We are loud and proud in declaring the United States of America the land of the free and the home of the brave.

What we don't often talk about is how one person's freedom can impact another's.

The tricky thing about freedom is that if not exercised responsibly, my freedom can rob you of yours.

Let me explain.

I am free to listen to whatever type of music I like.  I can play that music in my house, in my car, in my yard, or in a park.

When I play my music in a public place at an extreme volume, I am depriving others in that public place of their freedom to listen to the type of music they choose.  This is an example of my freedom robbing you of yours.

Freedom is a gift.  The writers of the Declaration of Independence felt that all men were created equal, and that they were endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  Yet, some of those who signed the Declaration of Independence owned slaves.   A certain class of people in 1776 robbed another class of people of their freedom, in a profound and disturbing way.

And that same thing can happen today if we are not careful, and if we don't think carefully and responsibly about the exercise of individual freedom.

I'm not fear mongering that slavery will be brought back as a practice, but when you think about freedom, just how free are we?

I am blessed with an enormous amount of freedom.  I am free from debilitating health issues, I am relatively free from financial worry, I am free to enjoy my home and my yard.  I am free to own two wonderful dogs, and I'm free to walk them in a beautiful public setting every day.  I am relatively free from worry for my safety when in my house or in my neighborhood, as we have a high degree of citizen motivation to keep our neighborhood safe, and a good level of police presence.

Not everyone enjoys the tremendous freedom I enjoy.  Many are imprisoned by poor health, by economic disadvantage, by homelessness.  Still others are imprisoned by unsafe neighborhoods, and by public authorities that do not provide the necessary protection for their communities.  Many people are imprisoned by fear, fear that is fed by unscrupulous politicians and media personalities.  Many people's freedom is limited by prejudice, they are rightfully concerned about going certain places because they have to fear what will happen to them in those places.

Freedom is a gift, but without responsible exercise, freedom can be used as a weapon.   Every time I fail to see the plight of someone who is not able to fully enjoy the freedom I do, my indifference becomes a weapon.  It allows me to disregard their plight.  It allows me to do nothing to try to make sure that all of the citizens of the United States of America have the opportunity to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

This Independence Day I am challenging myself to be very aware of how blessed I am to enjoy the freedoms I enjoy, and to be an advocate for those whose freedom is limited in some way.  We can only truly be the land of the free when everyone has realized the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and until then, being the home of the brave means that those of us that have realized the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are brave enough to fight to bring that right to those who have not yet realized it.