Debating Liberty

Liberty Defined:
1.The condition of being free from restriction or control.
2.The right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one's own choosing.
3.The condition of being physically and legally free from confinement, servitude, or forced labor.Once again, discussions in my home are evolving. One child had a substitue teacher tell the class the all Democrats want to do is waste money. Same child has friends who tell her being pro-choice is wrong. Let me be clear, here. We live in America. Our preamble to our Constitution guarantees us the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Addressing the issue of life: one defintion, besides the obvious, is the Human existence, relationships, or activity in general. We are assured to having our own exsistence. To me, and perhaps you may disagree, this means I have not only the right, but the ability, to have a full exsistence. One may ask, "How can you be pro-choice, then?" The answer is as simple as it is complicated...I get to chose what affects my life. I believe abortion is a moral tresspass. To simply end a life for the sake of either convenience or irresponsibility is wrong. However, it is not my place to project my beliefs onto another human being. I also would like to be able to choose if my life was to end due to a pregnancy, especially at this stage in my life. If I am given the right to live a full exsistence, then I must be given the right to execute my experience upon such a profound decision. Liberty. We are given liberty inAmerica. It is a gift few populations are given. I am free from any control. Yes, we are truly free here. "But we have laws!!!", you say. And we do. As a country, we are asked to abide by certain rules. We are still free to ignore those rules. It is the responsiblity of every American to respect the rights of others; that is why laws are made. I am free to act as I wish, but I am responsible for those actions. We need checks and balances in society. The gift of liberty is the avenue by which all who disagree can still live side-by-side, and not walled from each other. Pursuit of happiness. Can there be joy in living with others who disagree with you? Can we still love our friends, even when ideologically we are worlds apart? Yes, and we do in America. I find it so fascinating that I can dislike Goerge Bush and still love my friends who don't. I can be happy because I am allowed to be happy. I am allowed my own decisions, and decision-making processes. No one can tell me what makes me happy, but me! It is the right of every American. I get to pursue all avenues to fulfillment without control or restriction. Once again, however, one must be careful of extremisms. I cannot pursue my happiness at the cost of another human being. I have a responsiblity to all my countrymen to acknowledge the rights of others. I must be accountable, at all costs.
So why all the fuss? I guess I am tired of being labeled. I believe we have to care for own. Welfare is a good tool. Without it, I would never have eaten a decent meal as a child. But it is only a tool; not a lifestyle. I am pro-choice. I believe abortion is wrong. I am against war. But we are in one, and I cannot see a safe way out for all parties involved. I believe in small government (which technically makes me Republican) but all I see is government getting bigger. I don't like guns, but I respect your right to own one. I believe in life, but feel if you are guilty of taking another's, you should not be entitled to one of your own. Where does this put me and others who are passionate about America??? Pro-choice really is not about abortion for me. It is about telling the government that I have the right to chose all things for myself. I believe myself to be moral. I believe myself to be smart. And I want to be held accountable to the Constitution of The United States. I'll leave you with one last thought: On Wednesday, March 1, 2006, at a hearing on the proposed Constitutional Amendment to prohibit gay marriage, Jamie Raskin, professor of law at AU, was requested to testify.
At the end of his testimony, Republican Senator Nancy Jacobs said: "Mr. Raskin, my Bible says marriage is only between a man and a woman. What do you have to say about that?"
Raskin replied: "Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You did not place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible."
The room erupted into applause. --Baltimore Sun