"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
~ Benjamin Franklin ~
If you ask the government media (NPR) what the context of this quote means, they will offer it means the exact opposite of how it has been so frequently used. But that actually has to do with the interpretation of the context itself. And since it is coming from the state media, that interpretation makes itself all that more circumspect.
So, let’s not consider the context of the quote to interpret the quote and its context to favor a particular position (pro-taxation and pro-government, according to the government media of NPR) – and let us instead try to examine the principle the quote evokes – and the meaning of the words themselves.
“Those who would give up essential liberty.”
What is liberty? What is essential liberty?
Essential is defined as “absolutely necessary” or, ironically, “very important.”
Absolutely necessary. Necessary for what? The juxtaposition of the two words “essential liberty” might direct one’s thinking about that which is necessary for living a free life based upon innate (inherent natural human) rights.
The other (softer) definition is “very important.” What liberty or liberties are “very important”?
We might again say those those liberties that allow us to live a free life based upon natural and innate rights.
In the American experience, we already have an idea of what those rights and liberties look like. We can and do look to the Bill of Rights, where we see freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, right to peaceably assemble, right to petition the government, right to keep and bear arms, right to be secure in our persons, papers, and effects (the right to privacy and the right against the government trespassing on our real estate).
And if we are familiar with more than the first four amendments, we might also think about the right to due process, the rights of the accused to a fair and speedy trial with a jury of one’s peers, protections against cruel and unusual punishment - or even excessive fines, the powers rights reserved to the people themselves – if not to the states (the freedom that comes with federalism – and so the liberty to be free from central control over our lives), favoring the powers closer to home – or even in our own homes.
But even if we were to include only the five civil liberties found in the first amendment, these would probably be the “essential liberties” Americans would point to. (Although the second amendment, one could argue, is essential to securing all those liberties in the first amendment.)
Who would give up these rights? “Those who would give up essential liberty.”
We know who they are. They revealed themselves in 2020. They may have even been our family members and friends. We may have fallen for it ourselves – at least temporarily (which would be another word to examine here – “temporary safety” - but spoiler, we don't get there this blog).
There are entire segments of the American populace who gave up the freedom to peaceably assemble in 2020. There are Americans who still argue today against freedom of the press – and revile “independent journalists.” Not to mention, there are those who actually advocated for censorship and to remove the freedom of speech from the public square in 2020 and continue to make that part of their social media persona and/or their party’s platform or campaign message.
Likewise with the right to keep and bear arms.
The right to privacy is a big one. Whether it is health privacy and medical records or correspondence and physical addresses. Whether it is financial information or purchase records. Whether it is traffic cams or security footage. It is difficult to deny we now live in a surveillance state and voluntarily participate in an economic system that relies upon data collection and distribution.
Each and every one of these aspects of “essential liberty,” have been and would again be voluntarily “given up” by large swaths of the American people.
Even those who claim they would fight for the right to be free have given up essential liberty. But we don’t necessarily see it as such because of all that we have gotten in return.
(We haven’t even gotten to the second part of the quote yet.)
This is FREEDOM ACADEMY. My goal is to remind Americans how fragile and wonderful freedom is. Where it comes from. Why it is worth defending. And how to defend it. And how to live according to freedom principles. To live as though we are free to be free.
But this is an election year. And yes, everyone should vote. Not only is it the lowest level of political involvement available to us – but voting gives each voter the right to complain – win or lose. Your vote ALWAYS matters to at least one person: YOU.
But we should always act upon principle, not our passions. So we should vote the same way. And the principle I urge my fellow Americans to act upon at the ballot box (and everywhere else) is that of LIBERTY.
Now, I might argue that all of those in power want us to voluntarily hand over our essential liberty in exchange for all the benefits that those in power will bestow upon us. And yes, I believe that is where we are in the cycle of civilization, the moment in history predicted by Alexis de Tocqueville. We are already living (and voting) in the bargain he described as “soft despotism.”
But I think it might behoove every American to examine the platforms of the political parties that make up our current government. To examine the rhetoric of the candidates for president (and their local, state, and national politicians). And hold each platform and promise up against the principles of freedom (essential liberty) and innate rights.
Let us not look at the promised benefits to relinquishing those liberties and rights. Instead, let’s look at the liberties and rights we are agreeing to sacrifice for a promise that has yet to be delivered – or to simply “feel good” or to “be right.”
September’s session of Freedom Academy is TONIGHT, Tuesday, September 24, at 8PM EDT. I am prepared to discuss the Electoral College (it’s been almost 4 years) – or you can bring your own topic for discussion. (Click the button below to Join.)
We are 42 days out from Election Day (and early voting has already started in Minnesota and Virginia!), so whatever you want to discuss or if there is any issue you have questions about how to assess according to freedom principles, now is the time to have the conversation!
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