Freedom
Ignazio Silone
Freedom is not a thing you can receive as a gift. One can be free even under a dictatorship on one simple condition, that is, if one struggles against it. A man who thinks with his own mind and remains uncorrupted is a free man. A man who struggles for what he believes to be right is a free man. You can live in the most democratic country in the world, and if you are lazy, callous, servile, you are not free, in spite of the absence of violence and coercion, you are a slave. Freedom is not a thing that must be begged from others. You must take it for yourself, whatever share you can.
********
i�had an argument with a friend at a party on friday nite, who told me that he only votes when he is strongly opposed to something. WTF?! not only did this incense the poli sci major in me, but it also made me rather depressed. cos i think this is a common sentiment… at least, the idea of “letting the leaders handle it” is a popular feeling in our country. people think that “democracy” lets us off the hook… when, in fact, i think democracy only makes us *more* responsible to fight for our beliefs and struggle to uphold justice and truth (i know i’m not alone here). �it sickens me when i think about what a lazy bastard our country is… a massive, doltish ogre that smashes up any obstacle in its way and seeks only to satisfy its needs… and we just sit and smile and feel lucky to live the American Way.
in other news, it was a nice looong weekend with *two* VIPs:� seth woods and ryan dohoney. it was heavenly to see them both, and too soon to see them go. sigh. weekends like this make me want to run my own b&b so my friends can come and visit and it’s like, my business to host them!
Comment Pants