Freedom

Freedom is a great thing to be thinking about around the Fourth of July. I am so grateful that we have our freedom, and I hope that we, as a nation, can be vigilant and keep it.

I love that we – all of us – have freedom to do what we wish, as long as it doesn’t interfere with someone else’s freedom. I am afraid, however, that there are those among us who have forgotten that this freedom thing is for everyone, not just for themselves. I cherish my freedom, and I cherish your freedom as well. You are free to worship as you will, and you are even free to try to convince me to join you in your belief system. But please do not forget that I, and others, are free to believe what we will, and to not join you.

You are even free to not believe in real facts, but you are not free to force me to not believe. Facts are facts, despite what anyone says. If you want to refuse to believe in facts, be my guest. But please do not believe that you are entitled to ignore facts for everyone.

You are free to believe what you will about people who are different than you. You are NOT, however, free to treat other people badly.

Basically, you are free to be as stupid or as smart as you decide to be – I can’t take that away from you. AND I am free to be as stupid or as smart as I want to be – you can’t take that away from me.

Please do not throw your and my freedom away.