Free, Through and Through

The oft-used American idiom, “Freedom is not free,” reminds us to recognize sacrifices of the military men and women who have fought for and maintained that liberty, but I believe there is also a less apparent truth in it: As a free people, we are each responsible for confronting not only the physical threats to freedom, but also the more subtle cultural pressures against “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness (The Declaration of Independence).”

We are extremely blessed to live in this nation and I believe that part of what makes it great are the personal liberties protected by our Constitution–Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and so on. Needless to say, this sort of freedom allows for division since we are entitled to different opinions and beliefs. Like former U.S. politician Aldai Stevenson said, “Freedom rings where opinions clash.” Political correctness should not interfere with our right to debate and disagree on issues. We need to be willing to live by our beliefs without shame and recognize that disagreement is a natural outcome. However, in disagreeing, let’s truly listen to those who differ from us and treat them with the utmost respect.

I believe that polarization of some can cause apathy in others. Those who don’t fully understand what all of the arguing is about simply ignore and reject the issues. In working towards a people that eschew political correctness as the dangerous trap of uniformity that it is, let’s do so in a way that still honors the opposition and therefore encourages the apathetic others to form informed beliefs about what a free America really is. We are free! Let’s honor that truth by living in a way that doesn’t take such freedom for granted.