Freedom is an interesting concept.  I think most people are in favor of freedom, as long as someone else’s freedom doesn’t get in the way their freedom.  Or, freedom is great as long as it’s the right KIND of freedom.  For instance, exercising ones freedom of religion is just fine as long as I can agree with it, or you can say what you want as long as it follows the party line.  But you see, that’s not how it works my friends.  In this country, every citizen is allowed freedom of expression, whether you and I agree or disagree with it.  No matter how ugly it might seem, or irresponsible or just plain stupid, every citizen has that right, because to them, their expression may not seem ugly, irresponsible or stupid.

I’m pretty sure what got me started on this today was a picture that someone shared on Facebook.  It was a picture of a toddler dressed up in a KKK robe, checking out an African American policeman’s riot gear with the caption “what is taught can be unlearned”.  Ok, yes, in a Pollyanna-esque kind of world, absolutely.  But someone took advantage of their freedom of expression and dressed their kid this way.  My HOPE is that this can be unlearned, but in what kind of environment will this child grow up?  Will he or she have the fortitude to go against their upbringing or will they also choose to express themselves this way as an adult?  And if they do, could the rest of us accept it as their personal freedom of expression?

You see, fortunately or unfortunately, freedom doesn’t come with caveats; you can express yourself as long as….  It just doesn’t work that way.  Otherwise, we would have a culture where everyone is having to be careful of what they say or do for fear of retaliation.  Or maybe we already live in that culture.  You see, we also have the freedom to peacefully assemble so that we can express ourselves, but the peaceful part seems to have disappeared as well.  So much for responsibility.

The problem, or the great thing about freedom, depending on how you look at it, is that is allows for individualism.  Each person perceives life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in his or her own way.  It’s the rest of us that put a value judgement as to how others express that perception.  It all goes back to having to walk in another person’s shoes.  I can’t possibly imagine all that has happened in someone’s life that has caused them to perceive life the way they do.  And while I believe fear has a lot to do with some of those especially violent reactions to those perceptions, that’s a hard thing to fight. It’s very easy for me to say we should live peacefully with everyone if nobody has ever harmed me or my family.  It would be another thing entirely if someone DID harm me or my family, perceived or otherwise.  Forgiveness is hard.  Fear and anger are easier.

The Oxford Dictionary defines freedom as “the power or right to act, speak or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint”.  So should we, or can we draw the line when someone goes too far with their freedom?  And who decides what is too far?  It’s easy to decide when someone gets hurt because our freedom is tempered by legal restraints.  I can express myself peacefully as long as someone else doesn’t get hurt.  But does that just mean hurt physically or does that include mentally and emotionally?  What if something you say during your freedom of expression insults me and affects me emotionally?  Do I just need to walk away and get over it or have you crossed a line somehow?  For instance, if I say “All Lives Matter” because through my life experiences I truly, passionately believe that, and someone else assumes that I must not believe that “Black Lives Matter” because I didn’t single them out, is that cause for outrage?  Or is it just two people taking advantage of their freedom of expression based on their life experiences? And can we agree to disagree and live out our freedom peacefully or could this open up room for some great dialogue to get to know each other better and why we believe the way we do?

Freedom of expression pretty much guarantees that we’re not going to agree with something or someone.  As individuals, it’s going to be nearly impossible to find someone who agrees with everything you believe.  It’s how we express it and how we receive it responsibly and with civility that’s most important.  The old saying, “I may not agree with you but I support your right to say it” has to be how we handle everything peacefully.   Expressing ourselves passionately without hate or finger pointing is possible if we’re willing to work on it.

In a short blog, it may seem that I’m oversimplifying things here and I certainly don’t mean to.  I understand that things are complicated and that right now, everyone seems to be very passionate and outspoken about their most cherished beliefs, but HOW they express them has turned so very ugly and violent.  MY hope is that as adults we can unlearn some of the habits we’ve picked up and work harder to be the land of the free and the home of the responsible instead.  If not for ourselves, for our children and grandchildren.