Sussudio
17-10-2004, 12:14
Anal Cysts likes to post his papers, so I figured I might as well, too.
COMFORT VS FREEDOM
A week ago I sat down in my living room to watch “Miracle,” a movie set in a
difficult time for our country. While the opening credits rolled across the
screen, they were backed by the voice of former president Jimmy Carter.
Being too young to remember the time and having never been introduced to
the speech, his words were fresh to my ears. Carter spoke with frankness
and foresight that is sorely lacking in most politicians. His “Crisis of
Confidence” speech was meant for a nation that was worried about the
future; the Cold War threatened their freedom and the energy crisis
threatened their comfort. The former president’s words stuck with me and
exemplify my views on the differences between freedom and comfort.
“Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one
owns.” With these words Carter pointed out a constant struggle inherent to
America, democracy, and society in general. Our nation was beginning to
forsake its ideals in search of wealth. The comfort we had gained post-WWII
through our growth into a superpower had begun to threaten our freedom.
We had lost thousands of lives in Southeast Asia, with many of those young
men having been sent there against their will. Our economic growth had
caused a dependency on oil that had limited our freedom of commerce was
beginning to threaten our domestic freedoms. He acknowledged the
government’s (and his own) role in the present situation, but he expressed
his desire to lead his country down a new path. With wisdom unbefitting of a
president he acknowledged that freedom does not guarantee comfort and
that comfort will never lead to freedom. He knew America was at a juncture
between the two. America was forced to choose between a comfortable
path that lead towards decadence and dependency, or a path of freedom
that lead to nobility and independence. He beseeched the nation to give up
some of the comforts they were afforded through the work of their ancestors
and resume their noble fight. Sadly his words went unheeded and he was
voted out of office the following year.
We are now embroiled in a fight both globally and at home that is in direct
accordance to the path this nation decided on 25 years ago. Our growing
dependence on oil and our hubris in becoming the lone superpower has lead
to global warfare, attacks on our own soil, and the alienation of the rest of
the world. Our liberties are now threatened by counter-terrorism, and our
government is more comfortable and detached than it ever was. So we have
come to another crossroads, one where we can continue on with our path of
SUVs, unilateral power, and lower taxes at the expense of our liberties,
control of government, and financial future. Or we can protect our freedoms
by lessening our dependency on foreign oil, allowing the globe to become
strong together instead attempting to control it, and display the self-control
that made this nation great.
I fear for this nation’s future, I love my freedom and place no ideal above it,
but I see people treat their freedom with much less respect than it
deserves. Franklin Roosevelt said “In the truest sense, freedom cannot be
bestowed; it must be achieved.” This country must never be comfortable,
but continue to achieve, as it has so many times in its past, in order to
protect the freedom that America stands upon.
COMFORT VS FREEDOM
A week ago I sat down in my living room to watch “Miracle,” a movie set in a
difficult time for our country. While the opening credits rolled across the
screen, they were backed by the voice of former president Jimmy Carter.
Being too young to remember the time and having never been introduced to
the speech, his words were fresh to my ears. Carter spoke with frankness
and foresight that is sorely lacking in most politicians. His “Crisis of
Confidence” speech was meant for a nation that was worried about the
future; the Cold War threatened their freedom and the energy crisis
threatened their comfort. The former president’s words stuck with me and
exemplify my views on the differences between freedom and comfort.
“Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one
owns.” With these words Carter pointed out a constant struggle inherent to
America, democracy, and society in general. Our nation was beginning to
forsake its ideals in search of wealth. The comfort we had gained post-WWII
through our growth into a superpower had begun to threaten our freedom.
We had lost thousands of lives in Southeast Asia, with many of those young
men having been sent there against their will. Our economic growth had
caused a dependency on oil that had limited our freedom of commerce was
beginning to threaten our domestic freedoms. He acknowledged the
government’s (and his own) role in the present situation, but he expressed
his desire to lead his country down a new path. With wisdom unbefitting of a
president he acknowledged that freedom does not guarantee comfort and
that comfort will never lead to freedom. He knew America was at a juncture
between the two. America was forced to choose between a comfortable
path that lead towards decadence and dependency, or a path of freedom
that lead to nobility and independence. He beseeched the nation to give up
some of the comforts they were afforded through the work of their ancestors
and resume their noble fight. Sadly his words went unheeded and he was
voted out of office the following year.
We are now embroiled in a fight both globally and at home that is in direct
accordance to the path this nation decided on 25 years ago. Our growing
dependence on oil and our hubris in becoming the lone superpower has lead
to global warfare, attacks on our own soil, and the alienation of the rest of
the world. Our liberties are now threatened by counter-terrorism, and our
government is more comfortable and detached than it ever was. So we have
come to another crossroads, one where we can continue on with our path of
SUVs, unilateral power, and lower taxes at the expense of our liberties,
control of government, and financial future. Or we can protect our freedoms
by lessening our dependency on foreign oil, allowing the globe to become
strong together instead attempting to control it, and display the self-control
that made this nation great.
I fear for this nation’s future, I love my freedom and place no ideal above it,
but I see people treat their freedom with much less respect than it
deserves. Franklin Roosevelt said “In the truest sense, freedom cannot be
bestowed; it must be achieved.” This country must never be comfortable,
but continue to achieve, as it has so many times in its past, in order to
protect the freedom that America stands upon.