Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Freedom Perverted

 In what dictionary is the word "freedom" defined as being free to put everyone, or anyone, else in danger? As in:

"I'm free to not wear a mask, even though I have the 'rona and you will get infected." (insert "my body, my choice here). "I'm free to carry any kind of loaded gun anywhere I go." The school board meetings over the past 3 months put on public display illogical individual "freedoms" at the expense of the safety of our children and their teachers. Our own Representatives and Senators scream "freedom" to make senseless claims in opposition to campaign finance, gender rights, schools, guns, climate; the list is long and distinguished. An aside, but relevant to "freedom": the SCOTUS disagrees with me, but 1. I don't believe corporations are people, 2. don't believe money is speech, 3. nor do I believe that not-people-corporations should be permitted, in the name of free speech, to give not-free-speech-money in unlimited amounts to politicians in order to influence their votes in the pursuit of "freedom." Having said that, I do and have contributed to political campaigns because I agree with a politician's policies, not because I disagree and want to change the politician's vote. Today's radical right claim an absolute individual right to do almost anything in the name of "freedom." Even Saint Ronald, during his 1966 bid for governor of CA said “If an individual wants to discriminate against Negroes or others in selling or renting his house, he has a right to do so.” That individual right, is of course, now illegal, but you know people who have a tight grip on that concept of individual liberty to this day. Today that argument of individual rights over public good is the primary argument made by radical right republicans. We should not allow those people to co-opt the definition and application of freedom to do what is right for society.

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