Alas Poor Liberty, I Knew Thee Well....

[crimsonblue]

As a child, I grew up with the knowledge that my country was the best on earth, that we treated everyone with dignity and the respect they deserve. We'd learned our lesson from the decades preceding- that we cannot enslave the citizens of this land. I grew up proud of my country, which always looked to her leaders as good and honest men and women. Tuesday's gone, long gone.

Once upon a time, children in Istanbul and Tehran and Beijing looked to the US as their only and last hope. They prayed to their Gods that they could somehow escape their persecution and denigration and come to the US. Where is that Liberty? Why has she gone on permanent holiday? What have I done to deserve this?

The founding fathers made a crucial mistake upon founding this country. They risked their lives, fought their friends and family, brother on brother, in hope that they could form a more perfect union. A union where no man or woman would ever feel the evil hand of oppression again. A union where a man is his keeper, and his home is his kingdom. The founding fathers sacrificed their careers and lives so that no man shall ever be king over another, so that no man shall again be reduced to worthlessness. The founding fathers held this belief, this hope, this desire to be the universal and fundamental dogma of humanity. We neglected Liberty, did not cultivate her, let her rust and decay. We did not spread Liberty like fire, but let the flames of hatred extinguish her, until she simply vanished.

Where did she go? We have progressed over 225 years since Liberty's founding, and what do we have to show for it? Have we removed the chains of oppression from all peoples? Have we made it possible for all men to live in accordance with their beliefs? Have we accepted that others may be jealous of our Liberty, might want to steal it or at least remove its glorious sheen? Have we defended Liberty with the full honor and sacrifice that she demands in her hour of need?

She may as well be locked up in Guantanamo. My fellow Americans, Liberty is dead. She was killed not by outsiders seeking it for their own, but rather by ourselves, because she has become too scary. Along with Liberty comes responsibility, comes the sacrifice of trivial security, for any freedom necessitates risk and the chance of pain. Pain and suffering are just as much a part of Liberty as is happiness, justice and life itself. A life without Liberty is meaningless, is futile because it means everything from the past 1000 years of human history doesn't matter. Our beloved Liberty did not die that day in September; far from it. she gave us that day the opportunity to reevaluate ourselves, to determine our priorities and reaffirm our most sacred belief in Freedom. She gave us the chance to re-prioritize and regain faith in her.

Liberty was but the first to leave. Justice, Empathy, Charity, and Grace soon followed. I'm so sorry Liberty. I will never forget.