FREEDOM TAKES DUTY, HONOR AND COURAGE

FREEDOM TAKES DUTY, HONOR AND COURAGE

By Domenick J. Maglio, PhD., Traditional Realist

It is easy to rely on others to take care of us.  Dependency takes less effort but as soon as the people caring for you are no longer willing or able, the circumstances of one’s life deteriorates. However, being accountable for your own life decisions takes energy and time. Learning to be independent and responsible minimizes the vulnerability of being helpless when facing the hard knocks of living.

Confronting and overcoming difficult situations in life takes courage. Many times people dealing with problems become immobilized due to fear of failure. Those with strong moral values are compelled by honoring their beliefs to do their duty regardless of the possible adverse affects. Practically every time people do a heroic act by putting their lives on the line to save someone else in civilian life or in combat, they usually express the same thing. They did what anyone else would do. It was their duty to assist the person in need. This is not phony humbleness. It is the thinking of an honorable individual.

When people are convinced they have a right to be free, anyone or anything that attempts to restrain or usurp that freedom immediately gives warning that there is something wrong. It might be a governmental bureaucrat who informs them that private property is no longer theirs to use. It may be a business that calls individuals day and night disregarding their privacy or billing them for services not rendered. It might be a professional’s office that makes appointments and keeps the clients waiting for hours. It might be an institution like education, health or military that treats people without dignity or respect.

People not only have a right but a responsibility to stand up regardless of the degree of hassle or retaliation. They should voice their objections about the inappropriateness of other’s actions. This tends to inhibit a person from continuing their obnoxious actions. Standing up to disrespect and discourteous behavior  protects others from suffering the same fate.

Even national leaders should have the honor and courage to go to war rather than to surrender to an overpowering tyrant. Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain, inherited the unenviable position of being the leader of the British Empire. It was the only power left in Europe to fight for their freedom against Nazi Germany in WWII. Other less resolved nations were overwhelmed by the blitzing power of the German war machine.

Prime Minister Churchill refused to surrender to a superior armed force even after numerous devastating defeats. Churchill’s sense of duty to his nation led him to do incredible acts of valor. He put his life on the line taking long and secret dangerous trips across enemy positions to communicate personally with allied leaders. He made memorable speeches highlighting past heroic British people. He inspired the English people to face insurmountable odds and persevere to victory. The honor and duty of Englishmen emphasized by Churchill did not allow the people to be frightened into submission. He led his people every step of the way to endure the brutal extended periods of bombing of London and crushing defeats by the Nazis to retain their nation.

The responsibility of national leaders is to present a consistent disciplined, honest message to the citizenry. Churchill’s sincere, dignified behavior influenced the people to follow suit in their actions with others. The leader’s role modeling sets the tone of the nation.

The behavior of authority figures does influence the citizenry. The actions of the people rise to the high standard set by them. It is the duty of every citizen to insure being treated as a person with dignity. This requires conviction that overrides our fear of reprisal. In the same manner it takes vigilance to counter the small daily attacks on reducing our ability to think and do things we believe are in our best interest as long as they do not interfere with the rights of others.

When people believe they have the unalienable right to be free bestowed by their creator they rightfully resent individuals, groups or governments who limit their freedom. This powerful articulation from our founding fathers is one of the most important truths that have been the bedrock of America’s exceptionalism.

The enslavement might begin with political correctness by government leaders but the media, educational and business institutions will follow the leader in squelching people’s freedom.

Without courage to do the morally right things we gradually see our inherent freedoms evaporate one by one until we become docile sheeple living under tyranny.  As Edmond Burke warned us, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. You can visit Dr. Maglio at www.drmaglio.blogspot.com.