The cost of Freedom

Rend Joseph Petersen

There is a popular old saying. It says, “Freedom isn’t free.” I believe this saying to be true.
Freedom is not free. It never has been nor will it ever be. Freedom is always bought with a
price. The old saying is referring to the men and women who bought our freedoms with their
blood and lives. Freedom costs more than blood and life though, as high a price as that is.
Freedom is bought with virtues as well. Virtues like courage, fortitude, honor, bravery, and
brotherly love. When freedom is obtained it must then be maintained.

Freedom comes with responsibility. Important responsibilities, for the maintenance of our
responsibilities to freedom is what gives us our rights and liberties. People talk much of rights.
No one talks of responsibility though. Responsibility takes effort. Who wants to put in effort.
Effort is work.

The fact is we have not been stalwart enough in our responsibilities to freedom. We have not
honored the blood, the lives, or the virtues that freedom has and does cost. We have neglected
our duties and thus have given away our rights. We have given our rights away in the names of
safety, ease, and debauchery, and now what?

Look where we are now. We are teetering on the edge of a ledge. When we look to the left we
cannot see the bottom. We try to ignore it. When we look to the right, discouragement. Why?
Because it is a tough steep and slippery slope that we have got to climb to get out of this mess.
But I believe that we can climb out of it. I also believe it’s easier to start the climb out now rather
than wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow might be too late.
So where do we start?

Rend Joseph Petersen