Freedom

I wonder when the United States went from being a country focused on "Freedom To" to being a country focused on "Freedom From"?

Almost all of the unalienable rights that our forefather's fought for were Freedom's To...freedom to speak, freedom to gather, freedom to carry arms, freedom to practice whatever religion we choose, freedom to pursue happiness.  All of the Freedom's From were focused on the government; to protect the people from an overbearing government.  So why are so many of our laws focused on preventing freedom?  Some are even focused on preventing the pursuit of happiness.  What gives our government the right?



 

Let's look at a couple of examples, just to get the controversy brewing, shall we? 

Prayer.  If I am a Christian (or any other religion), I should have the right to pray.  If I am an atheist, I should have the right to not pray.  Seems pretty straight forward, right?  So why are so many atheists focused on preventing the religious from practicing their religion?  If you don't like my Christmas tree, don't look at it.  If you don't want to spend that moment at the beginning of the school day in prayer, then twiddle your thumbs, but don't take that moment away from my child.  There is even an organization called 'freedom from religion'.  How annoying.  It isn't freedom from, it is freedom to, that is important. 

Now let's pick on the other side.  Gay marriage.  Lots of religions believe that being gay is a sin.  Ok.  That's fine.  If you are gay, I would recommend not joining those churches.  But why should our government get involved in who I fall in love with and marry?  What concern is it of theirs?  And if you don't like it, well, too bad.  Because if I want to marry someone of my same gender, what possible harm is that doing to you?  And if it isn't harming you, why do you care?  What gives you the right to judge? 

For that matter, why is government involved in Marriage at all?  It is just a tax, really.  You pay to have a marriage license and then the government basically says that you have a contract to be married and you must use lawyers and spend a lot of time, money, and anguish to break that contract legally, because it is a meaningless contract.  It doesn't state the terms.  Forever and ever no matter what are not real enforceable terms.  So give marriage back to the churches where it belongs and let the government handle contracts.  Make it civil unions for everyone.  Gay/Straight, whatever...you pay a tax if you want to bond yourself to another person legally and owe them half of your life's worth should you decide it isn't working out (put that way, why would anyone want one?).  Let the churches marry whoever they want to, and let them adjudicate the end of a marriage....that is freedom.  PS...church marriage or civil union, companies should provide the same benefits and rights. 

Just imagine how much money our government would save if we weren't spending so much money enforcing all of those silly laws that restrict our freedoms....marijuana?  Legalize and tax it.  No more spending money chasing down petty criminals just wanting a simple high (didn't we learn anything from Prohibition?).  Prostitution?  Legalize and Tax it.  No more cops wasting their time chasing down sad men who just need a little loving and women just trying to make a living.  Carrying a gun?  No crime is committed if I don't use it, right?  That's how it should be.  Underage drinking?  Like we are ever really going to stop that.  Let the parents handle it.  Quit making criminals out of kids being kids.

How about Pants Sagging?  Cities are passing laws against Pants Sagging.  Seriously?  Do we really need to be spending taxpayer's money chasing down boys who aren't smart enough to pull up their pants?  I thought this was the land of the free!!!  Just imagine how many fewer lawyers we would need if every 'victimless' crime was taken off the books.  If there isn't a victim, why is it a crime?  It shouldn't be.  Not if we are truly to live free.

The Land of the Free????