Freedom vs Liberty

Discussion in 'Freedom and Liberty' started by RightHand, May 24, 2015.


  1. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    For the past few weeks, I've been immersed in biographies of several of our founding fathers, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington which led me to thoughts about the subtle differences between "Freedom" and "Liberty". They are somewhat like identical twins, often indistinguishable but nonetheless separate and individual.

    The word liberty is used most frequently by our founding fathers, liberty to be free to do something, as opposed to freedom from something. We can be granted certain freedoms but without the liberty to pursue those freedoms, are we really free?

    The freedoms guaranteed by the constitution are not taken from an incarcerated person but their liberty to exercize some of those freedoms is limited but when the president of the United States issues an executive order, he takes away both our freedom and our liberty - our freedom to do something and the liberty the constitution granted us to approve, through our representatives, of the removal of those freedoms.

    As citizens, we have allowed our republic to become an oligarchy.

    "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
     
  2. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    And not necessarily benign.
     
  3. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    The republic is lost. We stand now, like those in the distant past on the lands once belonging to the Romans, on the ashes of ruined dreams.

    Of course, we lost our great republic in a far more sinister way. It is well known to historians and researchers who love liberty, that England had long been distressed over failing to win the war against the Colonies of America. And like every British Crown there ever was, George's empire believed the new world was his to carve up and control. In the end, what they could not have by military force, they won with persistent subterfuge and simple economics.

    We should not blame Kings and Popes, nor should we blame governments and corporations. We, the People fell silent, became ignorant and complacent, or altogether indifferent and allowed this to transpire. We should have remained vigilant and seen in times of war, the many dangers in trusting politicians with making policy and handling the budget. Our republic was a true minarchy; a limited government with a clearly defined delegation of power. Perhaps this was as close as we may ever come to true liberty -a fleeting moment in time we still desperately try to hold on to.

    The real kick in the pants is, the majority of people in America still believe we are as incipient as always -that is to say, we are still the same and original nation as was founded. Nothing else could ever be further from the truth. The only people who are worse, are those who know about the corruption, live in denial and still profusely swear to support and defend this tyrannical form of government because they simply cannot fathom the reality of it all. I can at least forgive blind obedience and stupidity, but not cowards who live in abject fear of being called to account for speaking out.

    As best I can attest, LIBERTY at its most purest form is total absence of government. Some call this Anarchy. Our framers counted on known testaments of great minds from history to guide them, and gave us the outline for the closest they could come to true liberty while still maintaining order to allow the greatest level of freedom possible. To gauge the level of liberty, one must simply look at the size and scope of government, and all will come into focus.
     
    Byte, Tully Mars, Georgia_Boy and 6 others like this.
  4. Dont

    Dont Just another old gray Jarhead Monkey

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