'They Hate Us Because of Our Freedom'

'They Hate Us Because of Our=20 Freedom'

by Alfred A. Hambidge,=20 Jr.=20

Whenever I hear=20 =93they hate us because of our freedom=94 or "because they hate = our way of=20 life" or some other such drivel, I don=92t know whether to laugh = or=20 cry. If real people = didn=92t=20 suffer the consequences of it, such ignorance would be = amusing. But another annoying = thing about=20 statements like these is that they perpetuate the myth that we = live in a=20 land of freedom. = The sad fact=20 is, we are not free, and haven't been for a long, long time.=20

In They=20 Thought they Were Free: The Germans, 1933-45, Milton Mayer = wrote about=20 how the German people kept believing they were still free while = the Nazis=20 were tightening their control and extending their power over every = facet=20 of life. At first = people=20 refused to see the obvious, because the infringements on their = freedom=20 were coming in small steps. =20 Each of those small steps, on its own, seemed to be no big = deal,=20 nothing to rebel against. = But=20 by the time you could no longer ignore the big picture, it was too = late. =93Suddenly it all comes = down, all at=20 once. You see what you are, what you have done, or, more = accurately, what=20 you haven't done (for that was all that was required of most of = us: that=20 we do nothing) . . . You remember everything now, and your heart=20 breaks. Too = late. You are compromised = beyond=20 repair.=94 = Remember, all the=20 people had to do for all that to happen was--nothing. The same phenomenon is happening = right=20 here, right now, in the U.S. of A. =20 It had been proceeding at a slower rate than 70 years ago = in=20 Germany=20 , but = now the=20 pace quickens. =20

I = know there=20 are some who will say, =93Wait a minute, fella. You=92re going too = far. The U.S. of A. is still = a free=20 country.=94 = O.K.,=20 then. If you=92re = free, you=20 should have no trouble doing something that people have done for = time=20 immemorial. Buy a = cow,=20 shelter and feed and care for it, milk it, and sell the milk. Go = ahead,=20 try it and see what happens. =20 Come back and let us know how free you are to do such a = simple=20 thing, which has been done since the dawn of civilization. = =20

Freedom is a=20 state of being where an individual does not have to get permission = in=20 order to do something that harms no one else=92s person or = property. How many things can you = do without=20 getting some form of government permission? Can you build your = house on=20 your own property without obtaining government approval? Can you put a new room = on your=20 house? Or a new = porch? Put in a new = toilet? Or even put a shed in = your=20 backyard? If you = are not free=20 to make your home on your own property, you are not free.=20

Once = you have=20 that home, can you refuse to sell it to the government if they = want to use=20 your land for some other purpose? =20 Can you make them go away simply by telling them, =93I will = not sell=20 you my property, at any price!=94 If you are not = free to=20 choose if, when, how, to whom, and for how much you will sell your = property, you are not free.

Can = you drive a=20 motor vehicle across this =93free=94 country without someone in = government=20 approving of you as a driver? =20 Or without getting government permission to use that = vehicle on the=20 roads? If you are = not free to=20 travel without permission, you are not free. =20

Can=20 you buy a pistol without government permission? Can you drive across the = country=20 with it on your person, even if you have permission to drive a = properly=20 permitted vehicle? = There=92s a=20 man, a good man from what I=92ve heard, who got in trouble in=20 Ohio=20 for doing = just=20 that. And I=92ll = bet there are=20 many more good people that I haven=92t heard of who wound up in = similar=20 trouble. Let=92s = remind them=20 how free they are. = Could=20 anyone even ride a horse cross-country, with an old=20 Winchester = rifle in a = scabbard,=20 without being hassled? = If you=20 are not free to have a firearm at hand for self-defense, no matter = where=20 you go, you are not free. =

Are = you free to=20 say to the government, =93I don=92t like your retirement plan; = therefore, I=20 will no longer pay for it?=94 =20 Can you, without penalty, tell the government that you will = no=20 longer pay for subsidies, for regulations, for wars, for empire, = or for=20 any activities that you disapprove? If you are not = free to=20 refuse to pay for things that you do not want, you are not = free.=20

If = the=20 government decides it needs more troops to build and maintain its = empire,=20 can you refuse to go if it calls for you? Will they leave you = alone if you=20 tell them you won=92t kill and die for them? Can you simply ignore = the draft,=20 without consequence? = Can you=20 refuse to be a conscripted slave? =20 If you are not free to tell the government =93Hell no, I = won=92t go!=94=20 you are not free.

Can you open a business, like a = simple=20 barbershop, without government permission? Or how about a = bakery? A diner? A hot dog = stand? A gun shop? It=92s been said that = before we=20 invaded Iraq=20 , there were more gun shops in=20 Baghdad than in=20 Washington = D.C.=20 Can = you wire or=20 plumb or fix TVs or cars without a government license? If you=92re not = free to make a=20 living without getting permission, you are not free. =20

And = once you=20 have government approval to open a restaurant or bar, are you free = to=20 decide what people may do within your business? Can you choose whether = or not they=20 may smoke on the premises? = Are you free to invite them to light up and enjoy a = cigarette, a=20 cigar, or a pipe with their drink, or after their meal? If you are not free to = decide what=20 people may or may not do on your property or within your business, = you are=20 not free.

Are = you free to=20 smoke a joint? Are = you free=20 to hire someone to help you satisfy a physical urge? You can do both in the = same=20 afternoon in Amsterdam=20 . I haven=92t heard of = anybody=20 attacking the Dutch because of their freedom. If you are not free to = entertain=20 your mind and body in any way that does not harm another, with = anyone who=20 is willing, you are not free.

Can = you undergo=20 any medical treatment you think is in your best interest? Can you use whatever = drug you deem=20 appropriate for your condition? =20 Can you even get some marijuana to help you avoid nausea so = you can=20 keep your meds from coming back up? =20 Can you get it just to feel a little better for a little=20 while? If you are = not free to=20 pursue any treatment or use any substance you think might help you = obtain,=20 regain, or retain your health, you are not free. =

Are = you able to=20 criticize political candidates by name? A week before the next = election or=20 primary, place a newspaper or TV or magazine or radio ad = criticizing a=20 candidate. Let us = know how=20 you fare. The = Supreme Court=20 says it=92s okay to make that a crime. =20 If you are not free to talk about politicians at any time, = at any=20 place, by any means, in any form, you are not free. = =20

Can = you take=20 your children out of a government or conventional private school = setting,=20 without explaining to some bureaucrat how you plan to educate = them? Can you homeschool them = without=20 getting government approval of your lesson plans? Can you tell everyone to = buzz off,=20 that it=92s none of their business how or if you educate your = kids? If you are not free to = teach your=20 children what you want, where you want, when you want, and how you = want,=20 you are not free.

So, = let=92s=20 reiterate. You need = government permission to make your home, travel, earn a living, = defend=20 yourself, obtain medical treatment, and educate your = children. You will never get = government=20 approval for many of those things in many places. You will never get = government=20 permission to entertain your mind and body in unapproved = ways. At certain times, you = cannot=20 criticize those who decide who and what gets approved. You must sell your = property to the=20 government if they want it, and you must kill and die for them if = they=20 tell you to. And = you have no=20 choice but to pay for it all anyway, whether you like it or = not.=20

And=20 still, we think we are free.=20

=20	April 19,=20 2004

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Al=20 Hambidge=20 morbidly watches the Rise of Empire, wondering why so many are = admiring=20 the emperor=92s new clothes.

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