Titanic Post

Almost daily I hear someone say, “we must support our military because they are ‘defending our freedom.’” That phrase always puts a knot in my shorts. If I accept it as a truth, then I can’t be against the war in Iraq without suffering cognitive dissonance, not to mention the ire of fools. I don’t know for sure what that war is really about, but I do know that it has nothing to do with our freedom. Call me old fashion, but I think the purpose of the military is to stop belligerent invasions of our borders. In practice, the military has very little to do with our freedom other than a tendency to help bad government diminish it.

Freedom is not a gift from government, it is our natural right. Government has no role whatsoever in those cases where public action would violate individual rights. The American government is charged by our constitution, by us, to make sure our rights are respected. The active role of government is to referee the “playing field” to make sure that everyone has equal opportunity and equal access to a life of their choice.

Good government also assures a certain amount of security. In addition to protection from criminals and foreign “terrorists,” security means clean air, clean water, clean food, a good education, good wages, affordable health care, and social security.

Conservatives tend to make the individual responsible for the availability of opportunity and security. They work hard to eliminate public support and to limit rights to a select few. When they restrict basic rights, and dismantle programs that protect our education, the environment, health, and safety, they are wrecking our freedom, our security, our future opportunities. The military does not protect us from those among us who have no sense of responsibility to humanity and the planet.