Dateline: 5 June 2014
“Freedom isn’t free” is described by Wikipedia as: “a popular American idiom, used widely in the United States to express gratitude to the military for defending personal freedoms.”
I’ve been thinking of this phrase lately and I don’t agree with the supposition it promotes. While I am grateful that America has a strong military, and I support American soldiers for their bravery and the sacrifices they make, I strongly disagree that they are “defending personal freedoms.”
If our military, under the direction of whoever directs them (ostensibly, the President), were defending the personal freedoms of Americans, through various military actions all over the world, especially in recent years, then why am I less free that I’ve ever been?
No matter what political party is in charge, our enormous government bureaucracy continues to inflict more and more regulations on us. Increased regulation does not equate with personal freedom. Our government also routinely invades our privacy, which is antithetical to freedom. Our police forces are becoming more and more militarized. We all know this is the case, and some people are more aware of it than others.
It is not only ironic that with more militarization, America has become less free, it's also alarming.
Americans are told that we have to give up our freedoms (and support a police state) because of the threat of terrorism. It so happens that fear is a powerful motivator. You can get people to willingly give up basic freedoms and rights if you can first create sufficient fear.
Creating fear in the people is a propaganda art that governments, including our own, have employed for a very long time. Average Americans are easily manipulated by government fear mongering. But is the fear of things that might or could happen reason enough to give up freedom? Patrick Henry didn't think so…
"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death."
Americans venerate men like Patrick Henry who not only said such words, but actually believed and acted on them. Yet few modern Americans share the sentiment. Or, if they do, they are deceived into thinking they are free when the are actually in bureaucratic chains and treated like slaves. Or, if they do believe Patrick Henry, and they do expect to have personal freedom, they are looked at like they are a little crazy.
This discussion begs the question of why we are seeing an increase in the loss of American freedoms in recent years. The reason, as you probably know, goes back to 9/11. America was attacked. Fear swept through the nation. The government responded with "shock and awe"warfare on foreign countries (and millions of people in those countries) that were no threat to the United States. And the American police state was given a powerful boost.
There is an old saying that "war is the health of the state." In times of war, the citizens rally around the central government, volunteer to serve in the military, and accept the loss of freedoms. They also assume the costs of the war. Thus it is that it's in the best interests of a central government to perpetuate wars, or to define a common enemy that is a threat to the nation.
Most people in America were in favor of going after the Islamic terrorists that attacked us on 9/11. I was among them. But my neighbor, Mr. Murphy, was not in favor of the war. He was an older man who saw action in the Pacific as a Marine during WW2. He was very angry at George Bush for taking America to war in the Middle East. In recent years, I've come to think more like Mr. Murphy.
My mind changed when I saw Building 7 fall. The 47-story building was never hit by a plane on 9/11, yet the entire structure collapsed into it's footprint at free-fall speed. It is stunning to watch the film clip of the collapse. If I understand correctly, it is the first and only time that has ever happened, without using carefully-placed demolition charges.
If you go to Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth and watch some of the documentary evidence they present, you can't help but conclude that Building 7 did not just collapse as a result of some fires. That sort of thing doesn't happen. At least it doesn't happen according to many professional architects, engineers, and people who build tall buildings for a living. They question the official story given for the collapse of Building 7.
Many Architects and engineers (and people who demolish buildings for a living) have no doubt that Building 7 was demolished with explosive charges. If this is true, if the government has attempted to cover up the truth about this event, what else are they not telling the truth about.
Many of the same architects and engineers (that are not working for the government) also believe the World Trade Center towers could not have collapsed like they did as a result of an airplane being flown into them on 9/11. Once you learn about Building 7 and wrap your mind around the possibility that the official story of Building 7 is not true, you can't help but wonder about the official story about the collapse of the Twin Towers.
The 9/11 disaster provided the justification for America's prolonged war in the middle East, and the significant loss of personal freedom in America. Were these actions based on deceptive pretenses? My mind doesn't want to believe it, but there is a lot of evidence that this is the case.
If you have never heard of Building 7, or you have not seen the building fall,check out Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth. You'll notice that they aren't the kind of people who wear tinfoil hats and talk about UFOs. They are serious professional people who question the veracity of the official story. There is more to all of this than meets the eye.
And when you hear that "freedom isn't free," I hope you will remember what I've written here today.
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33 comments:
It's more than obvious that you're listening to Alex Jones more and more. I respect this blog greatly, but trumpeting WTC7 as some kind of conspiracy, all the while implying 9/11 itself may have been a conspiracy is just wrong.
Look at this footage of WTC7.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2056088/Footage-kills-conspiracy-theories-Rare-footage-shows-WTC-7-consumed-fire.html
Those fires raged for hours and weakened the structure, causing the collapse.
I don't disagree that going to war in the middle east wasn't a good idea, but to imply that it was all a conspiracy is a new low for you Mr. Kimball.
I was with you up to the point of the building theory, but I really do like your blog and what you do so we will just disagree and keep going forward.
mjolnir—
You have me wondering what my old low was.
Are you an architect or engineer with a lifetime of experience building modern skyscrapers?
To dismiss this theory based on a mainstream news article, and never look at or consider the opinions of over 2,000 professional Architects & Engineers (most of whom, I doubt, listen to Alex Jones, is a mistake on your part.
I challenge you to look at the evidence they present.
Hi Herrick,
For a balanced point of view you should look at debunking911.com. I lost five close friends and a family in-law that day.I challenge you to look at the evidence they present.
psammon—
Thanks, I will certainly check it out.
What I like about the Architects & Engineers site is that their primary focus is to have an independent investigation of how the buildings collapsed. They don't seem to be off in left field with all sorts of crazy conspiracy accusations. They're simply claiming that the official story of the collapse of the building(s) doesn't hold water from an engineering point of view.
Coming to such a conclusion and requesting an independent investigation seems very balanced to me.
Herrick I do believe people are fearful of questioning the "official" story. I am with you all the way politically. What people have a hard time hearing is that they are being scammed. That's how seniors are scammed out of millions by swindlers. They have an inherent programing toward believing someone who promises good things. For instance, I'm sure not all jews realized they were off to death camps. They were called holding facilities or refugee camps. Language is so highly controlled that we are controlled. The political correctness paralyzes free thought for fear of ridicule. I just pray that people who listen to the "official" story ask themselves if they are willing to believe the same liars and criminals who have perpetrated things like the golf of tonkin incident and arming of globalist dictators like Saddam Hussein, and the Saudi royals who in turn fund enemies all over the Middle East and even in Eastern Europe in Dagastan and Ukraine. Wake up people. Your debunking websites are just conformation of your denial. Whatever you believe you have to at least question the source. Blind trust without question is the foundation of dictators.
As an engineer (Ph.D. and M.S. in materials science & engineering, B.S. in mechanical engineering) I think there are some unanswered questions about 9/11 events. That aside, the main point of the post was our vanishing freedoms at home juxtaposed against our "fighting for freedom" around the world. We have military bases in over 120 different countries - that's imperialism plain and simple folks. The whole "fighting for freedom" mantra might convince the bumpersticker, cheap flag t-shirt from Walmart crowd (that was made in China), but not me. Methinks we should quit being world police, enforce our existing border laws, and take an Old Testament approach to foreign policy - we're open to fair and equitable trade with all nations. We'll leave you alone if you leave us alone. We'll help you best we can if you're in honest-to-goodness trouble. If you mess with us, we'll flatten your capital city (forget laser guided anything - expensive and war is messy) and then consider dialogue.
Herrick - I don't think you're nuts! Keep up the great work.
mjolnir, your argument is that the video proves it collapsed from fire, correct? That video proves the building was on fire but doesn't actually show the collapse. If it collapsed from fire, it would be one of the first three steel structure buildings to totally collapse to the ground from an uncontrollable fire. I think if you use your God given discernment you can at least come to the conclusion that something to the 9/11 story is either being lied about or omitted.
Mr. Kimball,
You cite that over 2000 Architects and Engineers support this flawed view, however there are over two million engineers and architects in the United States. I would say the majority is well on my side. The problem is that whenever evidence is presented, you can offhandedly dismiss it as being a part of the mass media.
I have looked at the evidence and it's been thoroughly debunked, from popular mechanics to several NIST investigations. Yet there's always going to be a fringe element out there.
For the record- your previous low is giving Alex Jones any creedence whatsoever.
mjolnir—
Being on the side of the majority has never been important to me. I'm more interested in knowing and doing what is true and right. Majorities are often dead wrong.
If you read my essay without prejudice you will notice that I do not take a side on this issue of the buildings and how they came down. But you have taken a side in this matter and assumed that I'm on the other side. That is an incorrect assumption. Unlike yourself, I have not looked at all the evidence and I do not have the depth of knowledge that you evidently have to evaluate all the data and come to a proper understanding of where the truth lies.
When a commenter above suggested a web site that presents a different side to the issue, I said thank you and have been looking at it. People who take sides, like yourself, don't have that attitude. The one article in a newspaper that you gave is not exactly conclusive evidence.
My position on this issue is that there are people who know more about engineering than I do and who question the official story. My position is that our government has a history of lying and that it is perfectly appropriate to question any official findings if they don't hold water. Beyond that, I'm intrigued by the fact that this is a "conspiracy theory" that has attracted more than just the "usual suspects."
So... what media outlet, or who in media, do you think presents truthful news and honest analysis of what's really going on in the world today? I'll be glad to give them a listen.
Mike R.—
Your comment…
"political correctness paralyzes free thought for fear of ridicule."
… is very true. We live in a society that demands conformity of thought and action. If you don't toe the line you're a danger to the nation.
Unfortunately, few people know their history. For example, I'm sure that 90% of Americans don't know anything about the Gulf of Tonkin incident (itlaunched America into the Vietnam war) which was an "official government story" that was later found to be entirely incorrect.
Thanks for the comments.
timfromOhio—
Thank you for pointing out the main point of this essay. I agree with you.
Nearly everything the government of this country has used to elicit a strong reaction and stoke the fires of war have been lies. From WWI and the sinking Lusitania, to the testimony of "victims" from the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, to the gassing of Syrians by their government have all been proven to be lies. In fact, EVERY reason given to the public about why we should enter a war, besides the bombing of Pearl Harbor, have been blatant reprehensible lies. To blindly trust our oligarchy is a dangerous mistake.
I believe the system is broken on a national and state level. The only real democracy happens in rural America.
One would think that if an out of control fire dropped the building that it would have been more of a random collapse, maybe start leaning one way or another, one side collapsing or perhaps tip over, not fall straight down. I don't know, just thinkin' out loud.
Mick
Luke Starbuck,
What you have written is true and supported by historical record. As is so often the case, "Official Stories" that the government gives are often lies, only to be more clearly exposed years later.
However, truth and the historical record is beside the point. You are obviously a conspiracy theorist. My guess is that you have listened to Alex Jones. Therefore you have no credibility. Furthermore, you are an enemy of the state. People like you, who question authority and do not embrace the government's various propaganda lies are narrow minded and can not be tolerated in a free society.
I'm sorry.
Mick,
I'm concerned about you.
Think? Please, no thinking for yourself is permitted. You are clearly not sufficiently qualified to think for yourself, and you are surely not in any position to come to any conclusions on your own. You must let the government do your thinking for you. Our leaders know better what we must think, and we must trust them completely. That is what it means to be an American.
Hi Herrick
I think you would really appreciate this article:
"…many young people don’t appreciate the profound, life-changing ramifications of joining the military, especially with respect to the exercise of their conscience. They only discover how serious the ramifications are after it is too late—that is, after they have signed the contract and are placed in a position of kill or be killed.
I’m personally convinced that this is the predominant reason that so many soldiers have returned from Afghanistan and Iraq all screwed up in the head. It has much more to do with guilt than it does with post-traumatic stress syndrome. They know that they have been participating in a brutal killing machine, most of whose victims had no role in the 9/11 attacks, and that shows no remorse whatsoever over the people it is exterminating.
Before the wars, these soldiers were normally functioning persons, spouses, and parents. But look at how many have returned as violent, abusive, alcoholic, ill-functioning human beings, spouses, or parents.
That’s what guilt does. It eats away at a person’s soul like acid."
http://reformedlibertarian.com/articles/foreign-policy/war-conscience-and-the-conservative-christian/
I'd like to go back to 'Freedom isn't free'. You are right it is used in support of the military but I believe that expression is more for the civilian than the military. Supporting the military by flying a flag, wearing a t-shirt, or putting a bumper sticker on your car is not much of a sacrifice. Getting involved to the point of disturbing your life, 'your sweet peace' as Patrick Henry says, is more of what I think of when I hear this expression. What are you willing to sacrifice to help keep this country free. I could go on but I'll end with a quote from Ben Franklin..."Those who would give up freedom for security deserve neither". Nick L.
Daniel,
Thanks for the link. I'll check it out. It's a tragedy and I don't think these wars were (or are) justifiable.
America has directly and indirectly killed thousands of innocent civilians in our Middle East military involvements (I've heard as many as a million). Little is mentioned about this "collateral damage" in the US media.
As Paul Craig Roberts recently said, "It's acceptable to kill all those people because they aren't us, and we are better than them." (that's a paraphrase and he was being sarcastic)
Our President has recently said that America is an "exceptional nation." Translation: Our government's actions in these foreign wars (and in all other ways) are justified because we are a superior people. The Nazi's believed much the same.
America is not a humble nation. We have become an aggressive world empire. I don't think the powers in Washington D.C. act in accord with what the average American sees as reasonable foreign policy. I'm afraid that this is not going to end well.
Nick L—
Well said. Thanks.
Unfortunately, most of the populace has bought into idea of "American exceptionalism". I believe that we are a wonderful nation in terms of our founding, history (though even this is jaded), and the fact that it is still the case that the individual has the freedom to pursue their dreams/happiness (more so than most other nations). Unfortunately, it seems that the right to pursue happiness has been warped into right to happiness. Right to pursue has become right to have or be given. The things that happen in or to other countries like extreme economic hardship, corrupt government, and loss of freedom couldn't possibly happen here ...
Herrick,
Here I go agreeing with you again.
I cant wrap my mind around people who believe the gov. statements on anything irregardless of all the times it's been proven to lie.
If the gov. were your neighbor, friend, relative ect. and you were told the number of lies as the gov. tells us continually, how long would it take before you question everything they say ? Apparently it takes longer for some to get to that point than others.
I believe one of the reasons Mr. Jefferson saw an agrarian society as the ideal was because farmers are far more rooted (pun intended) reality. Running around, pounding one's chest about "American Exceptionalism" and making the world safe for democracy is not only busy-body meddlesome nonsense, it doesn't keep the corn hoed, the pigs and chickens fed, and the cows milked. Farm folk just aren't as willing to go to war for frivolous abstractions or some rich corporacrat's ideals when there are mouths to feed!
And yet again, I'll tout that backward, Third World hellhole, incorrigibly "isolationist". . . Switzerland! Oh, that we were like them in so many ways: every citizen a trained rifleman, ready to mount a spirited defense, minding their own business abroad . . . we'd have a smaller government and spending, few if any foreign wars (and far fewer corpses, broken soldiers and families!).
Regards,
David Smith
On a final comment on this, I know I am a cynical type person. I do not consider myself a conspiracy theorist. I think the problem we have here is that the government is out of control. The nature of government ANYWHERE on the globe is bureaucracy. Without government there is no bureaucracy, without bureaucracy there is no government. So the very nature of government is to GROW! The founders knew this fact was crucial. That is why they set up checks and balances and only meant for government to do what was absolutely necessary. We need to stick to this principal. Regulation is just the fiat bureaucracy's law. Whether "Enhanced interrogation" or torture, it's the same water board.
Thanks for the thought-provoking post!
~L.
WHAT!???
19 hijackers unable to pilot a Cessna, hijacked 4 airliners, executed precision navigation & manuevering, hit BOTH of the twin towers - but not bldg 7 - hit the Pentagon and managed to make the wings and tail section disappear, PERFECTLY timed their crimes to coincide with a military exercise involving THE SAME SCENARIO so that the military response was non existent, disappeared another airliner into the ground in PA so that the responders comments were that there was no airliner evidence whatsoever, managed to fool the fire departments responding to the first tower scene that explosions occured while they were on the scene, AND convinced the government to destroy the crime scenes immediately (like OK City), shipping the evidence out of the country. And all financed by a saudi national living in a cave while on dialysis, in Afghanistan, so the US HAD to attack Iraq. Oh yes, and they managed to shut off any cameras that would record their activities, even at the airports were they boarded. And convinced "popular mechanics" that jet fuel burning in open air could magically melt steel encased in concrete (research temps involved).
Background - Gen Smedley Butler, "War is a Racket", & Loose Change - youtube. Oh yeah - ANY video you have EVER seen of an intentional building demolition. Who you gonna believe - the government or your own lying eyes?
mc
Wow! I never knew that listening to a man that you sometimes do, and most often don't, agree with, automatically makes you a nutcase.
LOL That's a good one.
Anyone with half a brain would know, that any other man that has half a brain, would never let ONE man determine what he believes in.
We all make decisions by what we learn, what we trust, good discernment, and life's experiences.
I'm old, and one thing I know for sure. Man will do all he can to get ahead and kill himself to get there. We destroy everything we touch, and can not be trusted.
I grew up on Cinderella, and Prince Charming, it's all a lie, so is the Easter Bunny, and Santa, and if you refuse to see where we are headed, then I pray with all my heart that God Himself show's you what is really going on in the world. I pray you see with new eyes. I pray you open your mind to all the hidden things in this world. It will shock you, but you and your family will be better off because of knowing the real world we live in.
Ok, now you can roll your eyes and chalk me up as just an old lady.
or a conspiracy nutcase.
Such great comments. Thank you EVERYONE for adding your insights and opinions to this discussion!
David Smith—
I appreciate the agrarian perspective, and the Swiss example.
Because of the lies I have heard in the last 6 - 7 years from our govt I decided I needed to dig up the truth. Thank the lord for the internet - but you have to dig thru all the nonsense. The 911 so called conspiracy theories seem to ring more true than what we were force fed thru the mainstream media - back then I did not have access to internet or I should say alternative media. I was fear mongered into thinking we needed to go to war etc and that President Bush had our best interests at heart. Now I am so disillusioned and fearful for my childrens future when I look back and see how far we have fallen culturally and how much freedom we have lost since then. I know Alex Jones is a sort of Drama King in what he does but if I have to go to his website to see whats really happening because the mainstream media is stuck on covering silly political correct subjects like same sex marriage and obamacare success stories and sports ad nauseam, then that's what I have to do. I am not sucking up here, but my main four websites for truthful news and common sense now are Alex Jones, Paul Craig Roberts, Ron Paul, and The Deliberate Agrarian. I no longer watch TV, no more ABC,NBC, Fox News Etc. I would be scared to death to rely on their news of the world, local or otherwise. Time has proven that - yes I am older and resistant to the boiling frog concept. I have seen awful changes in our culture and way of life in America - and our children and grandchildrens futures are threatened in a most awful way with the govt laws coming down the road. It is really hard to face up to the fact that we have already lost our country to "something" whatever you want to call it and I think 911, Obamacare, and the actions of the current administration certainly prove that to anyone whose eyes are open. Just look around you, like I said I am older and I could see and measure the progression of destruction of our culture and economy. I used to have family in Detroit in the 1970s'and we would go visit. Need I say more? Why would America let this happen? Why would America let a thriving economy purposely tank? Why the monstrosity like Obamacare, then stress it even more with illegals pouring over the border with nothing to stop it? And all the laws from the Patriot Act you would think that there would be some fear of terrorists coming across with the "children" What a farce!! Anyone with any common sense can see that what is being done in every aspect of our lives in not for our good, but for other agendas. Yes, because of these other lies, I am starting to believe 911 was an inside job as is everything else.
Anonymous—
I think your story and opinion mirrors that of a great many thinking Americans. Thanks for taking the time to post the comment!
This appears to be a pretty old thread, but I just felt to add my two cents worth - I don't know what to think about all the conspiracy theories out there; I believe totally that conspiracies in general are a fact, and that there are orchestrated puppetmasters behind the scenes pulling the strings. I very definitely agree that our government is far from forthcoming from us, that wars are fought largely for money and power, and never about what the people who fight and die in them think they are about. To me, that phrase, "freedom isn't free", is not a vindication of the people who make the wars, but an expression of appreciation to the everyday Americans who are willing to fight and die in them. I believe that for the most part they, though not TPTB, are sincere in their love for our country, and they and their families make huge (often the ultimate) sacrifices to serve the ideals that our country was founded upon. Also, though as you point out those ideals have pretty much been run into the ground, and our freedom coopted by the evil designs of conspiring men (and women!), there are many brave Americans throughout our history who have given their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor for the principles and ideals of freedom that this country was founded upon; again, my patriotism honors them and their sacrifices, not the machinations of contemporary American government and an increasingly global order that continue to render them more and more meaningless.
"all the while implying 9/11 itself may have been a conspiracy is just wrong. "
The above comment is inherently moronic. Any Christian believes in some sort of conspiracy. Any man who has ever read a history book does also. Anyone else has no basis to form opinions.
Freedom isn't Free. Especially from weirdo's like you.
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