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
