Government Not the Only Threat to Liberty

I love my country. I love its history, its literature, its constitution, and its political traditions. I am fascinated by its wildlife, thrilled by its landscapes, awed by its peoples, and spellbound by its accomplishments. But I despair.

My country--my beloved country--has lost its way.

We have no energy. No drive. No discipline. No dream.

Our infrastructure is falling apart. Yet we bray against any new taxes.

Our educational system is failing our young people, but we spend billions on entertainment.

Our health care system impoverishes millions and lets tens of millions fall through the cracks, but we are too fearful to make any changes.

Our homicide rate, our teen-age pregnancy rate, our infant mortality rate, and our poverty rate are far, far worse than those of other democracies (and worse even than those of some allegedly third-world countries). Still, we proudly proclaim that we are "Number One!"

We are more willing to invest in prisons than we are in education. More willing to pay for locks, guns, dogs, alarm systems, and law enforcement than we are for job training, health care, and child care for the neediest among us.

Our roads are crumbling, and our bridges are collapsing. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Energy costs are soaring. Manufacturing jobs are drying up. People are living off of credit cards. But we are paralyzed by the fear that any attempt to address these problems will mean more government and therefore a corresponding loss of liberty.

Would that we could see that government is not the only threat to liberty!

Poverty, illness, ignorance, lack of opportunity, and crime--all of these can severely limit a person's freedom to grow and flourish and live a genuinely humane life.