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It'
Freedom
by Chip
Rogers
State Rep. for
Dist. 15.
(770) 516-0543
(770) 936-1967 (fax)
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who
fears Saddam's boys might rape her
daughter for pleasure. To these people, and countless others, America
is the great liberator.
I believe that the vast majority of Americans
still value the words penned by Thomas Jefferson in our Declaration
of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and
the Pursuit of Happiness." It is in these words that we find
the true genius of the "American Experiment." We acknowledge as a nation
that we are free. The right of freedom is not given by government but
rather the Creator. It is only government that can take this gift from
us. Unfortunately, this is what has happened through much of the world.
Men like Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden represent the evil that rules
when freedom disappears.
The savagery, slavery and despotism of the
Middle East teach us that mankind has but only two paths. We may choose
the path of individual liberty consistent with God's gift of freedom,
or we may choose the path of false man-made security found in socialism,
communism and totalitarianism. President Reagan, as he so often did, eloquently
stated the importance of the journey towards liberty, "Only when the human
spirit is allowed to invent and create, only when individuals are given
a personal stake in deciding economic policies and benefiting from their
success - only then can societies remain economically alive, dynamic,
progressive, and free. Trust the people."
As we seek to understand the world of post
September 11, 2001, let us remember that whether it's the streets of Paris
in 1919 or the beaches of Normandy in 1944 or the skies of Pyongyang in
1952 or the jungles of Saigon in 1968 or the sands of Kabul and Baghdad
in 2003, America has always been willing to pay the ultimate price so
that others may taste the divine gift of freedom. As we remember those
that gave their lives on September 11, 2001 and since, we must pledge
to secure this gift for as many as possible. We do this not to fulfill
a duty but rather because this is who we are, Americans!
Chip Rogers is the State Representative
for District 15. You can call him at (770) 516-0543 or fax him at (770)
936-1967. You can also e-mail Chip at ChipRogers2@comcast.net.
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As I write this article,
the date is September 11, 2003. Two years have passed since that horrific
day in which America was awakened to the hatred that surrounds us. It
is easy at a time like this to focus on the troubles we have faced since
that first jetliner hit the World Trade Center. Thousands of lives have
been lost, trillions of dollars in wealth have disappeared from the financial
markets and even our national psyche has been bruised. Much has been written
and spoken about a damaged America. But as I look past the obvious scars
of an America post 9/11, I see many of the things that make me proud to
call this home.
The greatness of America lies not in our
economy, which powers the world's financial engine, nor our agricultural
genius, which feeds billions across earth, nor our military superiority.
Pope Pius XII summed up the greatness of America when he said, "The American
people have a great genius for splendid and unselfish actions. Into the
hands of America, God has placed the destinies of an afflicted mankind."
In the two years since September 11, 2001,
we have seen America lead by example. We have begun to fulfill what Ronald
Reagan likes to call, "The shining city on the hill." You won't read about
it in the New York Times or even the Atlanta Journal. You
won't hear it on National Public Radio and you certainly won't
see it on the CBS Evening News or CNN. But walk the streets
of Baghdad or Kabul and you will see millions of ordinary people who now
live in freedom. It's not quite the same freedom we enjoy as American
citizens. American freedom allows the likes of Sean Penn, the Dixie
Chicks, George Clooney and Tim Robbins to spew hatred
of this country yet reap its bountiful rewards. It's a more basic and
valuable freedom. It's a freedom that allows Afghani women to simply walk
the same street as Afghani men without fear of punishment. It's a freedom
that removes the fear of execution and torture from an Iraqi
father who refuses to join Saddam's henchmen. It's a freedom that allows
millions of Afghani children the opportunity to attend their first day
in school. It's a freedom that gives peace to a Sunni Muslim mother
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