The Battle Cry of Freedom

My Fellow Humans of the United States of America (and, arguably, the world):

As we welcome Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States of America and we say goodbye to Barack Obama, there's a few things we ought to keep in mind. Among them, in no particular or exhaustive order: humility, respect, understanding, compassion, dignity, acceptance, patience, kindness, tolerance, diversity, facts, opinions, compromise, love, emotion, validation, liberty, and -chiefly - freedom. I have a few things I'd like to say about all of these to some extent, but the purpose and intent of this letter is to discuss the foundation upon which we all sit: freedom.
For many, the upcoming change in the political climate will bring about happiness and celebration. For many others, despair and mourning. For some still, apathy and jadedness. Some people are relieved that their voices and their needs are going to be heard by those levels of government so long defined by what they see as establishment elitists. Others are quite frightened that their voices and needs will no longer be heard because those who have put those needs front and center will be less in number. Others are so disgruntled with what they view as a broken system that they feel there is nothing to worry about - it will just be more of the same. 

Regardless of which camp you fall into, I think we can all agree that 2016 brought with it many revelations (no, not of the Biblical portion - hopefully). There was a contentious, hateful, and divisive election that left us all feeling a little less clean and more than a little ashamed of both sides. Some of us were surprised to learn that there are still sections of our country who advocate white supremacy and neo-Nazi ideologies. Some of us were surprised to learn that there was a silent but large array of people who do not believe in the rights of women, individuals who do not subscribe to heteronormative sexualities, and people who do not adhere to traditional gender norms. Many more of us, I think, were relieved to have the truth of this country's social plagues of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia highlighted to those of us who were blind to it or who believed they were social ills of yore, so that we can all start working together to fight it. The majority of the country was shocked when someone who had been disparaged by the media and his fellow Americans was elected to this country's highest office, when all odds seemed to be favor his establishment opponent and first true female contender for the role of President of the United States. 

So, yes. 2016 was filled with revelations.

Please note, the point of this letter is not to attribute the white supremacism or the neo-Nazi ideologies or any of the various phobias to anyone or everyone who voted for a particular candidate. It's also not to say that individuals who voted for an opposing candidate do not hold some or all of the attributes listed in the preceding sentence. I do not pretend to know for certain what anyone believes truly, and I am not willing to begin generalizing entire groups of people. I am also not here to tell anyone who I voted for or my feelings toward the outcome of the election - because it doesn't matter. What you believe in is your business, and it is your responsibility to communicate it - not someone else (like a random blogger). People voted the way they did due to a number of factors - not all of which are related to social issues. Regardless of the outcome, Americans - and we are all Americans, let's not forget - will face new challenges and embrace new opportunities and ultimately come out the other side with a better understanding of who we are and what our role in the larger universe is. And we have to respect each other for the sake of our freedom. And that, I suppose, is the whole point of this letter.

I am not writing this letter to be partisan. I already said that I wouldn't be discussing who I voted for or my opinions of the person I did not vote for. The election is over. The results are in. We have to make do - all of us have to - with the hand we've been dealt. And oy, do we have a lot to do.

No, I am not writing this letter to be political, though the issues I will discuss have - somehow - become a political platform. Instead, I am writing this letter to be human, and to remind everyone reading it that you are human, too. As humans, we have the opportunity - dare I say the burden? - and the responsibility to protect and uphold the right to freedom for all of humanity. Being true to our humanity, and not becoming complacent in it, has always been of vital importance, even when we have not been perfect with it. 

Neither the 2016 election nor the recent change in volume of ideologies that seek to dismantle freedom for certain people did not create this imperative - the founding of this country is what created this responsibility of protecting and upholding freedom. Freedom is not partisan - it is a human idea, and it is the very foundation of the United States.

The fact remains that in the days ahead, we will be challenged. We will be challenged to not normalize discrimination, prejudice, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia. We will be challenged to not accept irresponsible and dangerous accusations and generalizations against our fellow Americans and allies - both from our leaders and from one another. We will be challenged to keep the spirit of a free press and a liberated populace alive and to deny the reins of tyranny and oppression from silencing or greatly diminishing either. Conversely, we will be challenged to hold the press accountable for being fair and honest in their depiction of real world events. We will be challenged to face the opinions of others, no matter how extreme, and to engage in productive discourse with them. We will be challenged to not view our fellow Americans as enemies if they do not align with our definition of what an ideal world should be. We will be challenged to lend our voices - especially those voices that are in a position of privilege - to speak up for those individuals who do not benefit from the same privilege, and to listen not only to their perspective but to perspectives that do not align with our own. 

And these challenges do come with the burden of responsibility. We have a responsibility to discuss issues that impact us with an openness to learn from another person's perspective. We have a responsibility to conduct ourselves with our fellow Americans with dignity and respect, even if they may not be conducting themselves that way with us. We have a responsibility to not make sweeping generalizations about entire groups of people. We have a responsibility to use privilege to influence and change our world in a positive way so that all people - no matter their race, gender identity, sexual identity and preference, religious background, or country of origin - can live with their right to liberty. We have a responsibility to call people out when they bully or hurt others who are not in a societal position to engage in a fair fight. We have a responsibility to protect journalists and to uphold the sanctity of the news media and to ensure that the press is kept free of oppression and tyranny. We have a responsibility to exercise and hold sacred our right to free speech. We have a responsibility to hold our government accountable when they commit a social wrong. We have a responsibility to question our government's actions and not sit idly by hoping for them to change their minds. We have a responsibility to exercise our power as The People to self govern and, if we feel we are not governing ourselves, we have a responsibility to take that power back by hiring someone who will accurately invest in and represent what we want and what we need, rather than someone who will only look out for their own self interest and their aspirations for reelection. 

We have a responsibility to find the light in the darkness.

And while it may seem darkest now, the truth is that these are not new challenges. No, these social ills were not born out of a particular candidate or election. No. These social ills have been festering beneath the surface of many of our perceptions since we were born. It's only now - thanks to 2016 - that these injustices have been brought to light for all. It is up to us to fight those injustices. It is our responsibility. It is our burden. Just as it always has been, and just as it always will be.

In the years to come, social issues may take a backseat. But that's where humanity comes into play. We the People have a responsibility to ensure freedom on the front line. Why? Because it is not likely - in this blogger's humble opinion - that lawmakers will be the ones taking away freedoms (mostly because, quite honestly, that would be challenging given that most of those freedoms are upheld by decisions made by the Supreme Court). No, it is much more likely that such oppression will come from our fellow every day Americans. We have the responsibility to make a difference. We have the responsibility to help others not only to be free, but to help their fellow humans to also be free. This can only be done with open discourse and educated conversation, not through insults and hateful generalizations. So let those who fly the flag of oppression speak -  for even speech and ideas we do not like should be protected under the auspices of freedom. But be there to hear them and, in turn, help them to understand your side. Help them to understand what freedom is. Help them to understand that their freedom is forever linked to the freedom of any and all Americans. Help them to understand their humanity. It is not an easy fight, but no worthy battles ever are. It is our responsibility to uphold and protect freedom. It is our burden. And it is our honor.

And do not wonder why someone else is not fixing what we see as injustices. Do not sit idly by quietly and hope someone else is going to take care of it. That's not how freedom works. A free People does not wait for someone else to fix the problems in society - that's arguably the very form of government our founding fathers ran from to begin with. If you see an injustice, rise up and oppose it. If you see a freedom threatened, defend it - for someone else's freedom is your freedom. If you are witness to discrimination and prejudice, embrace both people and bridge the gap.

Be sad if you're sad. Be angry. Be furious. Be unsettled. Be uncomfortable. Be just. Be knowledgeable and educate yourself. Do not be complacent - be present. Speak calmly or scream until your lungs pang with the sting of anguish. Call people out. Tell people how you feel. Engage and converse with a group of people you think you don't agree with and find common ground. But feel and do all of these things out of love. Feel and do all of these things with understanding. Feel and do these things out of kindness. Feel and do these things with the intention of creating a better today and tomorrow. Feel and do these things with openness. Feel and do all of these things for freedom.

If we the People self govern - if we the People give voice to the oppressed - if we the People hold our elected officials accountable - if we the People protect freedom above all else...then we have nothing to fear but, as President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, fear itself. 

Our country was founded on the battle cry of freedom. Do not be silent and do not silence - instead, be free.


Your fellow human,

Ryan