Dear Editor,

Most people in America believe in freedom. It is our most sacred ideal and the core value of our country. Individual liberty is considered the cornerstone of our legacy, our national persona and our daily lives. Most people will unhesitatingly decry interference by government in their daily decisions as foul play. Most support the ideals of the Founding Fathers. Just ask any yard full of Americans on the Fourth of July and you’ll get an earful of patriotic zeal and freedom minded fire branding. In such a group, on such a nationally auspicious day, few dissenters will brave the flood of reprising voices to say otherwise. Freedom is safe in America.

The foregoing is truth, as it would appear in most American back yards on any Fourth of July. What about inside the same home, on a random day in late April? Is freedom safe then? Or a week before Christmas? How about the eleventh of September? At those times some liberty loving, freedom professing Americans perform a Doctor Jekyll, Mr. Hide transformation. At those times freedom lovers are faced with anniversaries of grim days. They cannot fathom the thinking of those who caused such dates of infamy. Their resolve to uphold freedom and liberty slip. They need to do something, anything, to prevent repeating such heinous days stands to the forefront of their consciousness. Anything appearing to help becomes seemingly acceptable.

For those who do not realize the significance of the times I have mentioned, let that show you how freedom is taken, under the noses of Americans just like you. Take a moment from your busy life and look them up. If you missed the third one, you’ll be fine. It’s only a cold going around.

I hope you see the problem I’m highlighting. Too many Americans don’t follow the happenings of the real world. Few think critically about the events that unfold all around them or what our leaders do based on those events. Here is my salient point for the day? Voting keeps freedom safe. There’s an election coming up. Do you know the date? Or what candidates there are to vote for? Who are they? What do they stand for? Do they defend your rights? Are they tyrannical monsters or racists? If you can answer each of these questions and know whom you’ll vote for, you are a civic treasure. If not, you are America’s problem.

Our loss of rights and freedoms happen because of people who are too apathetic to pay attention to our system of Self Governance. As a Constitutional Republic we govern ourselves. Unfortunately, most really don’t. Too many have good beliefs but are lazy citizens and put no effort in the process.

It’s November fourth, by the way. Talk to others about issues. Ask questions. Read sources from both view points. Educate yourself about candidates. Then go vote. If you don’t do this minimal amount of self-governing, you give up any moral standing to complain later. Step up or shut up.

Dewey R. Mason Jr.

Hartselle