Interesting letters in the paper of late: freedom, freemen, water and dog rights.
What is freedom? So many definitions and so many passionate pleas. We must know what it is or what we want if we hope to ever get there. Is freedom a place or is it a thing? Does it include such things as honesty and a willingness to look at the truth and the legality or lawfulness of the governance in the county and the ethics of plagiarism by a school leader demanding students to “do as I say and not as I do”?
Does it include making choices and respecting other people’s freedom like Marchuk says in his letter? What are the rules of a free society or the boundaries of my freedom and your freedom?
I define freedom as 100% control of one’s own life and property. Follow your own heart and mind as long as your actions do not violate or encroach on anyone else. Do all that you agree or contract to do. If you do not control yourself or your property 100%, you are not free. With freedom, you are responsible to govern yourself and your belongings. You also pay the consequences for all of your choices in regard to yourself and your property and hopefully learn your lessons as you experience life.
Can the American people govern themselves and be free? It appears today that they cannot, but I would argue that this is because of the laws and policies that have been put in place by the civil government. Much of the time the opportunity to learn from your mistakes has been taken away by government policy. The American people do not suffer the consequences of their behavior and therefore do not learn.
We have been building a bureaucratic societal structure that has usurped our freedom, stolen our future, and has become unstable. We just do not realize this because it appears to be just as it was yesterday. We have been trained to believe the illusion that we are free. We have been trained to believe that the government is doing what is necessary for our future good. Our lives are mostly stable, so we think our country must be stable too. I disagree. I think it is time to build a new societal structure that allows freedom and humanity to prosper. This will only happen from the bottom up. This can only happen when we govern ourselves and build a better place.
If the idea mentioned in the freemen letter to the editor about the City of Hamilton and Ravalli County is true, then maybe it is high time to break this bureaucratic monopoly and start a new business that can serve the public and not depend upon stolen money. Competition is the only remedy to a monopoly of power. Who said that this county “government” was the only game in town?
I think a social structure that is built upon natural law and that allows for complete freedom can be established! I am ready to start building.
Chris Martin
Hamilton