A few months ago, transiting through the Atlanta airport, we saw a large contingent of new recruits from our armed forces heading off to some unknown part of the world to defend liberty. It was so emotional seeing these young kids in uniform that my wife started clapping spontaneously. It made me stop and think whether each one of us has a role to play as individuals in defending liberty and freedom.
Liberty and freedom sound the same, but there is a distinct difference. Thomas Jefferson best described liberty in the Declaration of Independence: “All men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that amongst them are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Liberty, then second only to life, is a right endowed by God himself and, therefore, cannot be revoked. That is why America is a constitutional republic where the sovereign authority is vested not in elected representatives but in the Constitution to which they are subject. Freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, freedom from fear, freedom of assembly and freedom to petition the government are some of the key liberties embedded in our Constitution and not subject to being revoked by governments at any level.
Freedom, however, is something that government grants and can be revoked. A driver, for example, is given a license by the state and the freedom to operate a vehicle. These rights can be revoked if a driver is caught driving under the influence, for example.
As Americans, it is important that we recognize the difference between liberty and freedom. We must not allow governments at any level to revoke our liberty because they have no right to play God – and we must not allow them to. For example, you may or may not agree with the Ukraine war, vaccine mandates or a slew of other issues, but we should not allow any government to interfere with an individual’s right to express his or her opinion freely. Doing anything else usurps the authority of our Creator.
Freedom, on the other hand, is best handled at the ballot box. Economic freedom is believing that individuals can spend their money better than governments can. Educational freedom is giving parents the choice to influence the education of their kids or move them to schools that educate rather than indoctrinate – teach kids how to think, not what to think. Freedom from division is encouraging the nation to believe that we are one family, and there is only one God, no matter what form He takes, and in some ways we are all brothers and sisters. These freedoms can be given or taken away and are heavily influenced by who we vote for. So educate yourself and vote your beliefs.
Fight for liberty every day, in whatever small way you can, and vote for your freedom so America will continue to be a beacon of hope to the world and lives up to John F. Kennedy’s vision: “Let every nation know, whether its wish is well or ill, that we will pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe in order to assure the survival and success of liberty.” God bless.
