Reply #8: Freedom can be painful. [View All]

[Cerridwen]

Freedom means if I want to be free to think/say/act the way I want, I have to allow others to think/say/act the way they want. Fortunately, it doesn't mean I have to in any way support their ideas/actions/words; it means I am also free to work against their ideas/actions/words while they may at the same time work against mine.

It's ugly at times, difficult at times and always required so that we're all free.

The first use of the Patriot Act of which I was aware, was against a child pornographer; not a terrorist. Many people were ecstatic that a child pornographer had been taken down. Now I hear of instances of the Patriot Act being used against other non-terrorists such as political dissenters, peace groups, etc. The minute something is used against "the least of us," it creates an environment in which "it" can be used against the rest of us.

Ah, well, there's one less child pornographer plying his trade. And who cares if peace groups are lumped in with child pornographers?