This is so true. Read this letter to the editor I found on WND.com.
Why people fear freedom
Some years ago, on the Sean Hannity radio show, Mr. Hannity was interviewing KABC Los Angeles libertarian radio talk-show host Larry Elder. He asked, at the time, why was it that libertarians, when running for political office, only receive 3 percent of the vote. Mr. Elder was quick in his reply: “The reason is because people fear freedom.” I was taken aback by the response. I fully accept it now. Americans, sadly, do fear freedom and what it entails.
Freedom means success, as well as failure; freedom means making decisions, which can include the wrong ones; freedom means taking responsibility and owning up; freedom means owning yourself, body and soul.
Freedom entails the right to associate with whomever you please, and not getting punished for it; freedom means to take risks in all human endeavors; freedom means to think and to speak your mind and not get punished by anyone or anything; freedom means living your life as you so choose it.
Freedom means tolerating others’ opinions, peculiarities, religion and lifestyles, and not wanting to punish them for their differences; freedom means falling down and having the courage to get back up again; Freedom means taking responsibility for your own welfare, family, business, property or other; freedom means working for a goal and having no obstacles or any impediments in the way.
Freedom means praise, as well as scorn; freedom means standing up and facing the consequences, good and bad; freedom means doing what you please, provided that you do not physically harm another; freedom means standing up and reminding the powers that be that there are limits.
Freedom means adhering to a Constitution and not deviating from it; freedom also means choosing the road on which you want to travel and doing it peacefully; freedom means taking responsibility for your words, deeds and actions; and, finally, freedom means standing tall and walking into the sunshine of liberty.
Yes, people fear freedom. They fear freedom because it sometimes requires pain, instead of pleasure; they fear freedom because at times it means struggle and stress; they fear freedom because at times it can be burdensome; and they even fear freedom because then they cannot “pass the buck.” That is why some Americans who would like to surrender their freedoms and liberties to achieve and obtain security from government and the welfare state. To me, this is not only sad, it is very dangerous. It would be the equivalent of surrendering one’s soul or being to Lucifer himself. Benjamin Franklin said it best when he said that those who give up their liberties for the sake of security deserve neither liberty nor security. How true those words are today.
Alex Pugliese
via E-mail to the Editor.