How can we be fighting for "our" freedom in Iraq (haha), yet let our government strip away our freedoms? You have neo-cons on the one hand who want to call you a traitor for disagreeing with Bush. You have liberals on the other hand who demand political correctness. You have DUI checkpoints which are unconstitutional, as they violate our Fourth Amendment rights. Now you can get stopped for not wearing a seat belt.
Now what did our forefathers fight for again?
2007-03-07 10:59:53 · 19 answers · asked by ? 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Our freedom is truly an illusion. We are "free" to the point that we do not go against our government's wishes. You can say what you, but be prepared to be censored. The right to bear arms? Yeah right! What about freedom of religion? You should be safe as long as you are Wiccan.
2007-03-07 11:06:57 · answer #1 · answered by Aimee P 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Is America free? There isn't really a yes or no answer to that. We have many more "freedoms" than other countries, but we still aren't "free." Freedom is having no rules or no boundaries when, within the US, this isn't true. We have "laws" which are the government's term for rules, and we have boundaries. We can't just leave as we please, as freedom entails.
But, we also have to understand that the laws they are pressing down on us now are for the greater good. A country can't all be free, otherwise it would eventuall become third-world where criminals run nearly everything and it is dangerous to step outside our homes. MOST of these laws are there to protect us in the wide sense.
Our forefathers were fighting for different things. In Vietnam/N. Korea - so we have a choice in the dispute over communism. In the WWs - we were helping fellow countries with same beliefs - but also helping ourselves in the greater sense by keeping most of the battle off our own soil and, if we had ignored the plea for help, the Nazi Party would have escalted in power and we would have to be fighting them off ourselves, without France, Russia, etc. to help us.
In the end, we aren't free, nor are we imprisoned. We aren't the black nor the white - we are the gray - an undefined middle where chaos, misjudgement, overspeculation, and paranoia is the greatest.
2007-03-07 19:15:48 · answer #2 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's easy to let things like the Iraq war (because exactly what's going on is beyond me) and extremists to overshadow the freedoms that we hold so dear here. Even as we have laws that suppress some groups (such as the denial of same-sex marriage), we have many more that we forget are even around. Every day things get better in our country because we are dedicated to it happening. Our constitution encourages the pursuit of happiness and the freedom of man. Many laws are here simply for our protection. Wearing a seat belt does not keep you from pursuing your bliss, but it can prevent you from going head-first through a windshield. Even the laws that are actually a really bad idea will ideally be overturned. We have that right as a people to govern ourselves. We elect our officials according to our own viewpoints. Our country is not perfect by any means, but it's not for lack of trying.
2007-03-07 19:12:42 · answer #3 · answered by Jennifer P 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This country has NEVER been "free" except for a select few "WHITE" "MALE" Christians with lot's of money maybe. Remember when we first started, you could be burned at the stake if someone even "thought" you were a witch. People used to be whipped in the square for not attending church. If you were black, you could be hanged with NO consequences for those that hanged you. If you were / are gay you can be killed and up until just the past few years you wouldn't even be arrested for that. American Freedom is as big a "hypocritical" saying as when the repubs say "We support the troops" yet cut funding for the VA and VA hospitals by thousands each year.
2007-03-07 19:10:09 · answer #4 · answered by politicallypuzzeled 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This government was set up by,"We the People". You and I are "We the People". If you don't like the way your government is run,then contact your Congressional leaders and tell them about it and change it. Remember,they work for YOU,not the other way around.
We have become a nation of the "Silent Majority" and very lazy when it comes to federal assistance. Housing,food stamps,and unemployment insurance are supposed to be TEMPORARY! Not multi-generational.
If the general public doesn't agree with the way the President is doing his job,then tough cookies! He works for US and WE can kick him out if we want to. I've seen where everyone thinks voting and jury duty is such an inconvenience of their time. Wait till you get arrested for a crime you didn't commit and there's no jury to hear your side of the story or the President takes it upon himself to rule by special decree. THEN where will you be?
2007-03-07 19:16:55 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, you also get to do whatever it is you do every day. Am I right? If this wasn't a free country, you wouldn't be able to come on the internet and express your feeling the way you just did. Am I right? If I were to buy you a plane ticket and a passport to go live in Somalia or Saudi Arabia or some other country that is similar. Would you accept it? I didn't think so. Just enjoy the fact that you are able to live the way you live and stop looking at the glass as half empty.
2007-03-07 19:06:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
america IS the land of the free in that we have the first amendment. but do we have the freedom to do every little thing? well think of it this way: a parent forces his/her kid to take medicene b/c it's good for the kid. and in that case, the kid has no say in teh matter. they don't want to but it's the parent's right to do it b/c it's good for the kid and they don't know any better. in the same sense, the government exists to keep us from doing stupid things like drive without a seatbelt.
so it IS the land of the free. it's just not the land of do-whatever-you-want. there's a difference.
and if you want to get picky, the american revolution started to create a democratic government free of a tyrannical king thousands of miles away who imposed an involuntary tax upon the colonists. it didn't have much to do with freedom per se.
2007-03-07 19:04:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Are DUI checkpoints a bad thing? Is not wearing a seatbelt a good idea? Our forefathers certainly didnt fight for a country in which someone could drink and drive and kill someone legally.
2007-03-07 19:05:03 · answer #8 · answered by Dave 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
America is still the land of the free. It's not perfect but you still are allowed the right to choose. No one is forcing you to be or do anything. You have the right to speak and those who disagree with you have the same right.
2007-03-07 19:08:58 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The advantage we have, seems to be, making money and acquiring assets as an individual. Yes, their are even attacks on this. If you can do this, you have to learn to discern, key word, discern, from all the opinions that are not looking for any input. Be yourself, be successful. The forefathers didn't define as much and I think they left it up to us. Luck to you!!
2007-03-07 19:08:50 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋