What is freedom?

This year, being a presidential election year, we will hear a word used more often than we are used to. That word is freedom. But exactly what is freedom?

Webster's defines freedom as:

1 : the quality or state of being free: as
a : the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action
b : liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another

Seems pretty clear, but if you listen to the Republican presidential candidates discuss freedom things get a bit cloudier.

All of the candidates use the word freedom to refer to economic freedom. To them it is very important that we be free to use our money as we see fit without being restricted by our government. Since we are required to pay taxes and since we can't decide specifically what our tax dollars will be used for, taxation, of any sort, is an infringement on our freedom. Of course in practice this is not what they really believe. First off none of the candidates are arguing that we should eliminate all taxes in one fell swoop. The Republican candidates all claim to want to lower taxes to some extent which in their minds would lead to greater freedom but most of their plans will lower taxes on the wealthy more than they would on the middle class and poor. Obviously they think that some people should be more free than others. What about those of such limited means that they are unable to take advantage of economic freedom? Our country has always been about spreading freedom, but the Republican candidates seem to be a bit stingy with economic freedom. We are all born with the right to free speech, so why is it that we are not all born with the right to economic freedom that the Republican candidates hold so dear? Why is it that someone who is wealthy should be able to use that wealth to overwhelm someone else's freedom of speech? Economic freedom is not specifically guaranteed in the US Constitution but freedom of speech is, so why do the Republican presidential candidates seem so eager to go against the intent of the founding fathers and impose their values on the Constitution?

What about religious freedom? The Republican candidates will all stand up and support this concept which was described by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 in this way;

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.

It was obvious to Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence and one of our most respected founding fathers that the Constitution called for a separation of church and state. Is this what the Republican candidates believe religious freedom means?

We have seen the Republican primary evolve into a fight over issues like contraception, marriage equality, and abortion. The strange thing is that all of the candidates seem to be on the same side of the fight even as they try to punch each other in the face with these issues. The question is why are these issues being discussed at all? The candidates will all claim that their
stances on social issues like these are determined by their faith, and that is fine, we have the right to decide things for ourselves based on our religious beliefs. These men, however, want to decide things for the rest of the country based on their religious beliefs. They seem to believe that religious freedom means that they, and others who share their beliefs, should have absolute freedom to practice their religion as they see fit. Even if that practice means forcing their beliefs on others. They believe that they should have the freedom to practice their religion anywhere and at any time. If someone like Rick Santorum wants to hold a Christian prayer service at a mosque during afternoon prayers they feel that the Islamic prayers should be set aside. After all, if they aren't allowed to hold a Christian prayer service at that mosque at any time they want the Muslims are stepping on their religious freedom.

They feel that there should be organized Christian prayer is schools because not allowing organized Christian prayer in school is stepping on their rights. Of course you can't have a Hindu religious ceremony at a public school because that would be forcing Christian students to endorse a religion they don't believe in. They think if their religion doesn't support a woman's right to choose that no one should be able to choose. Just as we saw with economic freedom the Republican candidates all support religious freedom, but only for certain groups.

I could show examples of their selective support of freedom when it comes to all of the other rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights as well, but I am sure you get the idea by now. The Republican candidates love freedom... for themselves and people who are just like them. They hate freedom for anyone else and will try to eliminate the freedoms of those with whom they disagree. Apparently they have forgotten the last few words of our Pledge of Allegiance, "with liberty and justice for all."

So this leaves all of us with a decision to make. When you look at the four wealthy, powerful, well connected, Christian, white, straight, male, Republican candidates running for president do you feel like you are looking in a mirror? When you see these four men do you see four, or three, or two, or even one person who is so similar to you, who understands your world so well, that you want that person to decide what is right and wrong for everyone else in America? If you don't see your identical twin in that group then I urge you to think carefully about supporting any of them in their crusade to become President of the United States. They have clearly shown their willingness to fight for their freedom to not have anyone disagree with them even though that freedom isn't mentioned in the Constitution. I can only guess that they will fight for this freedom harder than any other though as it seems to be the one they hold most dear.