Freedom

"My freedom to swing my fist ends at your nose."

This quote is in many versions on the Internet. They are all a little different. They are all a lot the same.

I've been thinking about this quote recently. It's a neat quote, which I have often attributed to one of the Founding Fathers, but I'm not really sure it was Ben Franklin who said it. But, it doesn't matter.

I've been thinking about freedom a lot. Maybe it's because of a certain convention in Denver. Dunno.

But, what is freedom and what does it mean to me?

Freedom is being able to disagree, on important, substantive issues, without fear of being seen as unpatriotic. Freedom is being able to express myself, without fear of being hurt, professionally or personally. Freedom is being safe from fear - real and imagined.

For the last 8 years, the Bush Administration has made all of less free. The McCain Campaign is trying to use the same legacy of fear. But I think Americans are sick of being afraid. Americans are tired of labeling the opposition of being unpatriotic.

I'm not afraid.

--andy