“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.”
Thomas Paine
Our country’s 247th birthday is upon us, a time for celebration, yes, but also a time for reflection. Thomas Paine’s words are a reminder that the freedom we celebrate on Independence Day requires a lot more than fireworks, parades, waving a flag, giving a speech or slapping a bumper sticker on our vehicle.
Supporting freedom demands labor that looks nothing like our sparkly celebrations or the noisy echo of political soundbytes that clang along the campaign trail.
Supporting freedom demands that we educate ourselves about what freedom actually means, and we agree to defend freedom not only for ourselves and those with whom we agree, but for those whose choice of lifestyle, habits, beliefs and interests don’t align with our own.
Supporting freedom demands a response through our votes and petitions, yet many eschew their responsibility to vote even as others work behind the scenes to undermine the voting rights of many. Our political “ship” is being steered by the almighty dollar instead of the principles and ideologies that inspired the founding fathers to pen the Declaration of Independence and go to war with England.
Sometimes supporting freedom requires blood, sweat and tears, and an accompanying obligation to care for those who have defended our nation when they come home. Our nation’s track record for supporting the men and women who’ve put their lives on the line to defend our freedom is shoddy, at best, at least in the last 50 years.
Freedom is work.
In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, herself a frequent visitor to the White River Valley: “Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect.”
While we scarf down hot dogs and watermelon, cheer for rodeo riders and parade floats, enjoy concerts, and gaze up at fireworks overhead, let’s remember that our responsibility extends beyond the last twinkling glimmer of a firework or the sizzle of a sparkler.
By NIKI TURNER
