True Freedom

Freedom. What a wonderful, patriotic and American-sounding word "freedom" is. Sadly, freedom is under attack in ways many of us never thought possible. As we assess this attack, however, we realize that this has been a long time coming. We as a nation have been surrendering our freedom for generations, perhaps without realizing it. The quickening pace of our downfall started with the permissiveness of the 60's--the free love and drug culture. It has evolved, changed and enlarged with each step of permissiveness: the fight to accept homosexual practices, divorce, substance abuse, women's lib, corruption in government, dishonest and unethical business practices. Each of these supposed "freedoms" have been exercised with increasing impunity and disastrous results. You see, freedom isn't free. Freedom without accountability is simply permissiveness and tears at the very fabric of our society. As our society has become more and more tolerant of those things that go against societal "norms" we have suffered destructive results. The women's liberation movement has become an Anything Goes Movement, as long as it's not the traditional role, with a resulting degradation of women, heightened objectification of women and girls and the sexualization of all things female. No-fault divorce has resulted in skyrocketing divorce rates and generations of children either having damaged relationships with parents or being forced to raise themselves. Government bailouts of private and public entities have sheltered the guilty and the foolish from the consequences of their mistakes. Politicians tickle the ears of voters without regard for the practical application or costs of their promises and then glibly pass the buck when things go haywire.

If we are to restore freedom to this great nation, we must restore accountability. As a mom, I try to teach my children, every day, that they are responsible for their own decisions. Once their decision is made, they have chosen a consequence. Consequences are really neither good nor bad, they are neutral. They are the result of decisions. If I choose to place my hand on the hot burner of a stove, I will get burned. No-one is punishing me or being mean, it is simply the result of what I have chosen to do. Until we return our lives to the acceptance of the consequences we have chosen, we are destined for failure. Politicians, business people, individuals make decisions every day that affect the future. The only way to improve that decision-making process is to experience the results--be they good or bad. Human nature is such that we tend to learn not to touch the burner, if we get burned. Freedom and accountability are pillars of our society, without them the whole of it will collapse. To that end, we must fight for the true freedom which allows us to learn and progress. That fight begins with an increased commitment to marriage and parenting our children, complete integrity in every aspect of our lives and the courage to stand for our convictions regardless of social and popular pressure. We further fight by patronizing companies and businesses that hold those same values. Finally, we must hold politicians accountable for both their promises and their actions. If they do not meet our standards, they must be removed from office. Only then, do we truly begin to be free once more. America can return to the greatness it once had and that is the America in which I want to raise my children.