Freedom

I want this post to be eloquent. I associate eloquence with cool detachment, careful choice of words. It's hard to be cool or detached. I'll try to be careful anyways.

What has happened to freedom in this country?

I lived as an American in Europe for many years. I was greeted warmly traveling on the continent, complete with "I love America!". The outpouring of sympathy after the Oklahoma City bombing and after 9-11 were tremendous.

I spent one Valentine's Day with A. in Casablanca, and was humbled by the King Hussein Mosque, perhaps the most beautiful building I've ever seen. In Marrakesh we chatted with locals about the Sahara. We looked forward to going back and riding camels.

I read last week about some violence towards Americans in Morocco. I forget the details. I just remember thinking that I wouldn't feel safe visiting Morocco again.

I'm headed to France in June. I love France. I love the language, the country is beautiful, the appreciation for food and wine and quality of life. I now have to deal with France jokes whenever I mention the place, and I feel the need to be apologetic when I'm there.

I live daily knowing that phone companies and libraries and internet providers are being leaned on by the government to turn over personal information, without proper government oversight or based on fraudulent information.

I know that innocent people are locked away in Cuba not just by Castro but by our own government, and innocent people are killed by our soldiers, not due to any malice on the part of the captors and soldiers, but because these innocents are necessary collateral damage to achieve a world that looks and acts the way we want it to.

I know families are torn apart by the strain of deployments, injuries and deaths.

I know the soldiers too are held hostage to a military strategy that on the one hand claims to be aimed at winning the loyalty of the Iraqi population, while at the same time arguing that we choose to fight our wars in their backyard because we would rather the collateral damage happen there than happen here.

Today 5 men told all women in America that if they choose to have a second-term abortion, they may be required for moral reasons to have knives stuck deep into their bodies, acknowledging this may endanger the health of the women.

We are told that we are fighting to spread freedom and democracy.

"The state can't give you freedom, and the state can't take it away. Freedom is something you're born with, and then one day someone tries to deny it. The extent to which you resist is the extent to which you are free." - Utah Phillips

Freedom is something you do.

What are you going to do now?