if you like freedom

Yesterday, I saw the bumpersticker “If you like freedom, thank a soldier.”

My grandparents were career navy, so I have great respect for those who serve in the armed forces, and I gladly thank them for their service.

I have less respect for many of the jobs our armed forces are asked to do. Very little of what our military does these days guards or promotes my freedom or the freedom of other people around the world.

If I like freedom, who then should I thank?

I thank the great political thinkers who thought about the appropriate roles of government and how they should respect individual freedoms.

I thank the great economic thinkers who thought about the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers.

I thank the people who took these ideas, looked at the world around them, and took steps to ensure our freedom.

I thank the writers who exposed injustice.

I thank the organizers who protested injustice.

I thank the abolitionists who worked tirelessly for the freedom of all Americans.

I thank the suffragists who worked to free women from chattelhood.

(Fun fact: The word chattel comes from the same root as cattle, eventually tracing back to the Latin capitale which itself descends from the Latin caput, meaning “head.”)

I thank the politicians who drafted legislation and took action to ensure our rights.

I thank the lawyers who fought for our rights in the courts.

I thank the judges who were gutsy enough to apply the spirit of the Constitution to case law.

I thank the singers and songwriters who gave voice to the yearning for freedom.

I thank union members for putting the common good of the working man over their own short-term good.

I thank the protesters for putting themselves on the line for all of us.

I thank the ministers who have preached freedom, equality, and justice from the pulpit.

I thank the teachers who have taught generations of children the values upon which this country was based.

I thank librarians for their ongoing work to provide access to information to all.

I thank the ordinary people who do their bit to help the USA live up to its ideals.

I thank the soldiers who apply our principles to their service.