America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.
~ Abraham Lincoln
Freedom is a foundation of life.
When freedom is compromised, suffering and misery follow. This indisputable fact has been demonstrated endlessly throughout history. Freedom compromised is freedom lost.
In politics, compromise is touted as a requirement for progress. However, there is no legitimate justification to ever compromise freedom.
Compromising freedom empowers the enemies of freedom, including dictators, tyrants, oppressors and the power hungry. Compromising freedom erodes the wellbeing of a country’s population.
To fully understand the devastating impact compromise has on freedom, consider the following examples. How would you react if someone wanted to force you out of your home so they could live there instead? Would you accept a compromise where they take over only half of your home? Would you be willing to give them just one or two rooms as a compromise if they allowed you to live in the remaining space?
Suppose you had saved $10,000 over several years. One day you receive a phone call from someone demanding you give them your entire savings. Would you offer them $5,000 as a compromise in return for being able to keep the remaining $5,000?
As another example, you have four wonderful children. You are approached by someone who claims it’s not fair for you have four children while there are so many childless couples. You are then asked how many of your children are you willing to give up as a compromise? Would you be willing to give up just one? After all, you’ll still have three remaining children which should be more than enough for your needs.
Of course you wouldn’t allow someone to take over part of your home, steal your savings or abduct any of your children. So why would you let any person, group, or government compromise your freedom by taking any portion of it away?
Human history has been characterized by tyrannical oppression.
The founding of America, based on each individual’s unalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, was the first time a country was established exclusively on freedom.
Freedom is your right. It’s not a commodity granted to you by someone else.
Yet, freedom can be compromised by the malicious actions of others. The typical approach to confiscating your freedom is to start small by taking seemingly inconsequential freedoms under the guise of fairness, safety or security. Then, piece by piece your freedoms are eroded until they cease to exist.
The standard assertion made by the power hungry is that they know what is best for your well-being.
These people claim to be the only ones in the unique position of also knowing what is in the best interest of society.
You are told you lack the necessary intelligence, foresight, experience, or understanding to provide any meaningful input about your freedom.
If you object to your freedoms being compromised, you are maligned and accused of being unreasonable.
When one freedom after another is compromised, before long all of your freedoms will have vanished. Once your freedom is lost, it’s virtually impossible to recover. Life without freedom is proven to be filled with strife and despair.
This fact is evidenced by the endless stream of people willing to risk their lives fleeing tyrannical regimes around the world.
Freedom is not free and must be constantly cherished and protected. Freedom persists only when good people stand firmly against those who seek to vanquish freedom through deceitful compromise. Your freedom must never be compromised or it will be lost.
Bryan Golden is the author of “Dare to Live Without Limits.” Contact Bryan at Bryan@ columnist.com.
