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I guess free is relative. As to the Declaration of Independance....well that's the ideal. I don't think perfection is realistic, but can we do better; of course. We need people who think outside the box, with integrity, and foresight. Someone who can represent the best of us and our ideals.
As to the goverment. Well, it is to a large degree who you know, and how much money you have. I live in a small town and two of the guys I went to highschool are running for mayor. Neither one are morally right, have integrity etc, or represent the best of us. But, as I sit and complain I must remember that I haven't run and this is just one example of why the goverment won't get better. Not enough people of heart and character are running. The following is one of my favorite quotes, perhaps it's something we should all take heart in and remember.
[SIZE=2]"On[/SIZE][SIZE=2]e of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."[/SIZE] -Socrates
That recurring miracle, Election Day, is coming around. We can choose to have more freedom in the future than we have had in the recent past.
What new found freedoms do you anticipate having, after the next election? I'm just curious
Does it involve repealing the IRS
or allowing me to let my dog run free on the beach without getting a fine Will I be able to grow what ever I want in my own backyard e.g. tobacco over 1/2 acre or marijuana if I just thought it made a nice house plant Can I start a hemp farm without any hassle from the government. Can I get a Ford Fiesta ECOnetic car from Europe that get's 65 MPG. Will I be able to take a trip to Cuba to pick up cigars and rum. Will my son not have to register with selective service.
In your opinion and whatever your political or religious beliefs, is America still or was it ever the land of the free? If not, could it ever achieve the ideal as espoused in the Declaration of Independence.
I'm always the guy who has to set people straight. So, is America still the land of the free? Yes. Are there other countries that have more freedom? I don't know. I suppose it's possible. It would depend on one's criteria. But America is definitely the land of the free compared to most of the world. Is China, and its massive population, more free? How about Russia? Please don't tell me that the Middle East allows more freedom.
I'll tell you what, let's look at some Civil Rights laws, okay? Let's say that a black guy walks into my diner and I refuse to serve him based on race. I'm breaking the law and can be fined. So am I as a business owner less free than the guy who can refuse service to anyone for any reason? I suppose so. But how about that black guy? He's got more freedom because of the law. So how do you look at that scenario? I say that the law made America more free rather than less free. I'm a "half full" guy rather than a "half empty" guy.
How about gay marriage? I've got news for you guys, gay marriage is someday going to be the law of the land, someday soon. So does that make America more free or less free. Like it or not, the answer is "more free".
On the other hand, I'm not sure I want to live in a society that have limitless personal freedoms. I don't want to have my one neighbor free to carry an automatic weapon. Heck, I don't too much want him to carry a pocket knife. And I don't want the guy across the street to have the freedom to erect a civil defense siren in his yard. His car radio blaring is bad enough. So a nation with unbridled freedom isn't really something I would embrace. And I'll bet you wouldn't either.
I'm always the guy who has to set people straight. So, is America still the land of the free? Yes. Are there other countries that have more freedom? I don't know. I suppose it's possible. It would depend on one's criteria. But America is definitely the land of the free compared to most of the world. Is China, and its massive population, more free? How about Russia? Please don't tell me that the Middle East allows more freedom.
I'll tell you what, let's look at some Civil Rights laws, okay? Let's say that a black guy walks into my diner and I refuse to serve him based on race. I'm breaking the law and can be fined. So am I as a business owner less free than the guy who can refuse service to anyone for any reason? I suppose so. But how about that black guy? He's got more freedom because of the law. So how do you look at that scenario? I say that the law made America more free rather than less free. I'm a "half full" guy rather than a "half empty" guy.
How about gay marriage? I've got news for you guys, gay marriage is someday going to be the law of the land, someday soon. So does that make America more free or less free. Like it or not, the answer is "more free".
On the other hand, I'm not sure I want to live in a society that have limitless personal freedoms. I don't want to have my one neighbor free to carry an automatic weapon. Heck, I don't too much want him to carry a pocket knife. And I don't want the guy across the street to have the freedom to erect a civil defense siren in his yard. His car radio blaring is bad enough. So a nation with unbridled freedom isn't really something I would embrace. And I'll bet you wouldn't either.
Great post.
Everyone looks at the word "freedom" through their own prism. None of these posts mention the freedom to own a handgun. Perhaps they don't consider it a "freedom", only a "danger, a bad sign about our society.... blah blah blah..."
But this is my point, freedom is such as overused word. Economic freedom, political freedom, sexual freedom, etc etc.
I think basically the whole point of this thread is good old-fashioned America Bashing. But that's okay, we're a resilient country, we can take it.
And when you superior Europeans need rescuing, once again, just let us know..
There was a time in America when your home was a castle and the government had to convince a judge that there was a really good reason to violate your home. There used to be a time when, if you were doing nothing wrong, your car would not be stopped on the roadway in a "random" search or "random" roadside safety, or sobriety test. There used to be a time when, if you were doing nothing wrong, the likelyhood that a swat team would shoot you or your pet dead was about the same as aliens landing. There used to be a time ( before the creation of security theater) when you could get on an airplane without taking off your shoes, belt, and "consent" to a full body scan. There used to be a time when your neighbors generally minded their own business. Those times are gone. Ask yourself this question: Do you feel more free than you did 10 years ago, or less free?
Totally free, no. We discriminate against those we do not understand thus we cannot be free. Freer than many other countries, absolutely.
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Will I be able to grow what ever I want in my own backyard e.g. tobacco over 1/2 acre or marijuana if I just thought it made a nice house plant
Very far and getting further with each piece of Progressive legislation passed. 
What we used to have but don't now.
