It was a very hot day and I was in a hurry when I came upon a sea of red lights. “NOOOO!” I screamed in my head. Now at a full stop I began strategizing about what my options were and unfortunately the only possibility appeared to sit patiently in my car with the rest of humanity.
Then out of nowhere a large pick-up truck came barreling by on the shoulder of the road barely missing the cars it passed. As it zipped by, besides thinking all sorts of uncharitable things about the driver, I was struck by a big sticker on the truck’s tailgate, “Give me liberty, or give me death!”
I’m certain that when Patrick Henry passionately proclaimed this in 1775 during the Second Virginia Convention, urging armed resistance against British rule which united and mobilized support for the American Revolution in Virginia, he did not think it would apply to an individual not wanting to wait in traffic like the rest of us.
Yet considering that the word liberty has now become such a polarizing political statement I guess it is not surprising to see it on the back of a vehicle. Sadly many folks have created their own definition of the word liberty to mean I should be free to do whatever I want.
The word ‘liberty’ has its origins in the Latin word ‘libertas’, which means ‘freedom’ in contrast to being enslaved. As the word spread to other cultures it evolved not just as personal freedom from physical restraint, but also political freedoms and the broader rights and privileges of individuals within society.
‘Within society’ is the historical piece that presently appears to be missing. Frankly, if all of us exercised our personal liberty without consideration for the larger community widespread chaos and violence would quickly ensue. The reality is personal liberty flourishes within a supportive community. Communities provide the social, legal, and economic structures that protect individual rights and freedoms.
The other dynamic communities provide with respect to personal liberties is the importance of morals. As 19th century political thinker, historian, and writer Alexis de Tocqueville observed, “Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.” Religion, he believed, was seen as a stabilizing force that supported democracy by promoting moral behavior and civic responsibility.
In my experience humans are happiest and healthiest when they have a level of freedom to make choices that work best for them – and – consider and respect how those choices may impact others. As my longtime mentor, colleague and friend George Werner often reminded folks, “Real community is a place where everybody gets something and nobody gets everything.”
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17