Freedom Requires Responsibility

Today on this the 4th day of July in the year of 2011 I feel the need to reflect on this beautiful country in which I was so blessed to be born and raised. Throughout my childhood - and maybe I still do today - I often would ask myself this hypothetical question: How was I so lucky to be born in the United States?

As I have become an adult and experienced life pre and post September 11th, 2001 - first attack on American soil that had taken the most civilian lives in the history of the USA - I have spent a lot of time researching and reflecting on what life is like in other countries. We Americans had our security - whether it be false or not - violated. Living life in a protective bubble no longer exists.

Later I had come to understand the nature of those who hate us only because we were born in this wonderful country. Growing up in the 70s and 80s it was the Cold War. The Russians were the ones to fear. In fact there was a fall out shelter in my high school. Signs were posted to guide us to the shelter if the need were to ever arise.

There are people who are raised to hate the Western world more than they love their own children, therefore, creating killers. It is so hard for me to swallow this concept. It is my dream for my son and daughter to grow up leading long healthy, happy, and productive lives. It is not my dream to have my children grow up to be martyrs.

Maybe my way of thinking is arrogant; I don't know?

But I do appreciate my freedom. It is also hard for me to comprehend the thought of all those who have sacrificed - whether it be their lives, their time with their families, their limbs, and/or their sanity - to provide me, my family, my friends, and my fellow countryman such freedom.

So what does it mean to truly have freedom? Well for starters, isn't it cool that I can write my opinion whether it be different from my president and publish it without any repercussions? I can tell him I don't like something without sacrificing my personal freedom. I have the right to freedom of speech just because I was born in this country with that particular right. Try that in China and see what happens.

Yesterday the thought Freedom Requires Responsibility was posed.

Think about what that means. There are so many in our society who takes our freedom for granted. This warrants a prayer for those who don't understand that maybe they can find their way to respect what it is our country is based on and the rights we can exercise!