Freedom

(1995)

– [an example from “Sucia Dawn”] –

Freedom
Is not free.
It must be earned,
Labored, sweated and died for.
Won through considerate thought,
Responsible action and involvement.
To be in charge of life, we must accept responsibility for our decisions and actions.
We cannot hide from responsibility by casting blame onto others,
Asking someone to shield us from all that’s bad in the world.
Freedom without responsibility is a sham.
If society or government is the cause and cure of our circumstances,
Then life is controlling us,
We are slaves to the power we have given to others to make our lives easier,
To take care of us.
Freedom has flown.
Freedom
Freedom cannot be given to others,
But it can be given away!
Freedom is not a right,
But a privilege.
Every day, millions of people in this world are born and die in un-free societies.
Freedom cannot be given to others,
But it can be given away!
Striking the chains from a slave,
Be they iron or economic,
Does not purvey freedom to the slave,
It merely removes another obstacle to the truth of freedom.
Those who stand up and work for freedom will achieve it,
Those who ask others for freedom, will see it not.
Those who blame discrimination or preference for their circumstances,
Will never drink from the well of freedom.
Those who ask for preference to gain equality,
Will never be equal.
Freedom has no color,
It is not red, white and blue.
It is not black or white.
Freedom is a state of mind,
Endowing its possessor with the strength to rise each morning,
And walk through life with head held high.
Knowing that the power to change the world,
To work for freedom,
Is held in each and every pair of hands.

One who decries a lack of freedom,
Because of the oppression of another,
Seeks not freedom but pity.

Freedom is about having personal control,
Over one’s home, one’s income, one’s choice of worship,
And one’s destiny.
It cannot be seen in parades and flag waving crowds,
It is seen in the eyes of the people,
A look of pride in oneself and one’s country that springs from within.

One who flees from oppression cannot gain freedom by abandoning his home,
For that freedom was earned by others.

Government cannot grant its people freedom by controlling their lives,
Only by removing its influence and allowing them to succeed on their abilities.