Education is the key to unlock the door of freedom. –George Washington Carver
Words matter. Questions matter. Metaphors matter. Concepts matter. In our Culture there are few ideas that matter more than the Concept of Freedom.
In our Culture today there are two different concepts of freedom. These two concepts are rooted in two radically different political views. These views are not unifying but dividing views. ‘We the People’ is being transformed into ‘We Our Tribe.’ [Consider, Gentle Reader, that transformation involves a fundamental change in character and structure. A transformation is quite different from a shift or even a change.]
In our nation, the traditional-historical definition of freedom is progressive. The United States of America has, traditionally and historically, been a nation composed of committed activists, activists who have been consistently expanding our most valued freedoms. [NOTE: ‘Consistently’ is crucial; too often we confuse ‘perfection’ with ‘consistency’ and condemn efforts that are, at best, consistent.]
Consider the following valued freedoms:
- Ensuring that every citizen has the right to vote. For years only white, male land owners were given this right. Over-time, non-property owners, former slaves, women, younger people and those denied the vote because of prejudice have been granted this freedom – now a right and privilege.
- We expanded the freedom of ‘opportunity’ which led to better jobs, improved working conditions, the banning of child labor, increased opportunities for women (although we still have a way to go before ‘equality’ is achieved). Opportunities for non-whites have also increased. Opportunities for foreign-born have also increased (although we still have a way to go for both non-whites and for foreign-born before ‘equality’ is achieved).
- We have expanded the rights of workers – think: freedom from inhumane working conditions – thanks to unionization: from ‘slave’ labor to the eight-hour day, to the five-day week, to worker compensation, to paid sick leave, to overtime pay, to paid vacations, to paid pregnancy leave, etc.
- Thomas Jefferson reminded us, more than once, that a major tap root that needed to thrive in order for democracy to thrive was a commitment to public education. Public education was expanded to include elementary, secondary, college/university (undergraduate and post-graduate) institutions. [Sadly, today, we are not as committed to Public Education as we have been in the past and we, as a Culture/Nation, are paying a price; a price that has yet to be truly determined.]
- The expansion of public health. We still fall short for we do not ensure good health coverage/care for all.
- We have been committed to the expansion of consumer protection – more recently, however, this commitment has been stifled.
These are some of the progressive trends in our history. It is crucial to remember that progress, is not, for the most part, linear and perfection is never achieved (although it has, at times, been set up as a goal; an illusion at best).
We have been, until recently, committed to these progressive trends. The rise of radical conservatism in the United States threatens to hinder and reverse many of these, and other, progressive trends. What is also threatened is the progressive ideal of freedom that has been the major tap root that feeds and sustains them all; that has fed and sustained our Republic and our Democracy.
Consider that the hindrance-reversal is proceeding at an ever more rapid rate.
America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. –Abraham Li