WILL THAULT: Celebrating Freedom Month

“Your freedom ends where my nose begins.” — 19th Century punchline (no pun intended)

While this may be the most practical, commonsense approach to the limits of personal freedom, a broader definition came along that gave greater meaning to the word.

Last year at this time, I wrote a series of weekly columns in celebration of Freedom Month, honoring the Fourth of July — a reminder of the day when we Americans proclaimed our Declaration of Independence from English rule. Already in a war with Great Britain that would last seven more years, this document became a rallying cry for the birth of a new nation. Its purpose was spelled out in the Preamble: “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 wasn’t until four years after the American Revolution that our Constitution was drafted. Its Preamble began with “We the People of the United States.” No, this wasn’t an introduction by “His Majesty the King of the United States” or “Emperor of the New World.” This new government was to be “of the people, by the people and for the people,” as later described by Abe Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address. Instead, our Constitution was formed to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”

These were high expectations born of divine inspiration. It was a new definition of freedom that captured the imagination of many throughout the rest of the civilized world under royal or dictatorial rule.

It wasn’t long before the new Congress saw the need to more clearly define Americans’ fundamental rights in relation to their government. At the close of 1791, another four years after the signing of the U.S. Constitution, the states ratified the first Ten Amendments, known as the Bill of Rights.

Amendment I stated, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion (the Establishment Clause), or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” (the Free Exercise Clause) While prohibiting the government from compelling its citizens to submit to the authority of a particular religion, it could in no way suppress the freedom to exercise one’s personal religious beliefs. This clause specifically prohibited Congress from passing laws that prevented the free exercise of religion.

Amendment I went on to say that Congress should make no law “abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

The remaining amendments covered a wide range of additional freedoms including the right to keep and bear arms, prohibition of involuntary quartering of soldiers in private homes, protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, the right to due process of law and a speedy trial by jury — both civil and criminal — with no cruel and unusual punishments permitted, recognizing that other rights might exist beyond those mentioned in these first Amendments and finally, specifying that powers not delegated to the federal government were reserved for the states or the people.

While the list of rights, privileges and protections throughout the first 10 amendments set the table for both individual liberties and the limits of government, the 45 words in Amendment I got to the heart of what freedom truly means in America. Freedom of worship, speech, the press and the right to peaceably assemble pretty much summarize the liberties we’ve inherited from our founders. It’s hard-wired into our psyche as Americans. It’s what sparks the imagination and compels people from around the world to hunger for what we have.

If you’ve been a long-time loyal reader of this paper, you may recall that President Roosevelt and Norman Rockwell’s “Four Freedoms” were highlighted throughout the month last July: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want and Freedom from Fear — all variations of American liberty. There are those who may think such ideals are out of step with a cynical, more “sophisticated” modern society that speaks of morality only in relative terms. Perhaps, but should we give in to the darkness so easily?

Our particular brand of freedom is fragile. It only remains as strong as our will to preserve it, just as those before us were willing to pay the ultimate price for that same liberty. Thomas Payne once said, “It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies.” In contrast, Jesus warns in Matthew 12:25, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.”

There are many in this country who have turned away from unity and chosen division and hatred as their mantra. I saw someone wearing a T-shirt the other day that read, “Let Hate Motivate.” So sad that it has come to this. Yes, we have the freedom to hate. But wouldn’t kindness and empathy be more productive than conflict? I’m looking for a T-shirt that reads, “Let Love Rise Above” instead.

This American brand of freedom is a precious commodity. The seed was planted 247 years ago. It’s up to us to cultivate it or watch it wither away. Let the Fourth of July be more than just a fireworks display. Make Freedom Month a time to remember that which unites us, not divides us. We have more in common with each other than our adversaries wish us to know.

Our diversity is our strength so long as we don’t divide ourselves through identity politics. We are a multicultural society bound together by common ideals. Free to have divergent opinions and respect each other’s rights to have them. We’re bold — sometimes audacious. We’re adventurous. We’re competitive. We’re innovative. We’re compassionate. We’re generous. We’re all freedom-loving Americans, after all.