I receive a great publication called Imprimis. It’s published by Hillsdale College (of which I am not an alumni) and has a circulation of 1.7 million readers.
In the April 2009 (Vol. 28, 4), the essayist is Mark Steyn. His titled work, “Live Free or Die!” (he is also the author of America Alone) highlights the degradation of freedom, at the hands of the government, by the citizens own request. I chose this topic due to the seemingly proliferation of DC articles asking, begging, and demanding for government support to right whatever social wrongs we’re experiencing. The interesting part of Steyn’s writing is that he points out BOTH American and European problems due to increased government. I say this because many of the DC articles point to the European structure as more superior to or more productive than ours.
I want to highlight the gradual and sometimes blurred (when you refuse to see them) stages that mark the loss of freedom and the rise of government paternalism. Government paternalism is attributed to Steyn’s reference to P.J. O’Rourke commenting on Hillary Rodham Clinton’s quote, “It takes a village to raise a child.” O’Rourke replied, “The government is the village, and you’re (citizen) the child.”
Steyn writes that Stage One is a, “benign paternalistic state [promising] to make all those worries … disappear.” Business receiving 2 percent government supports are faced with 100 percent government involvement in their work. Government health care to cure you has basis to prevent you treatment. (The hands that gives taketh away) Britain has “health auditors” going home to home determining your fridge contents; next is snack food confiscation. British National Health Service denies services due to “lifestyle choices” such as smoking and obesity. Government imposing costs and taxes on passports, visas, airport, and ticket fees (my last airline ticket was $25 but the fees were $150) that effectively prohibit or decrease the freedom of movement.
Stage Two is marked by “societal enervation.” The government that provides your needs will begin to regulate your needs and behaviors. The analogy Steyn posits is, “… grown [adults] say: I want to be able to choose from hundreds of cereals … movies … songs—but I want the government to choose for me when it comes to my health care.” When the government becomes your parent, your freedom is reduced to childlike proportions. Government securities such as education and health care is readily accepted as long as you pay, no COD, up front with your decision-making freedoms.
Thought regulation (if it hasn’t already begun) occurs in Stage Three. Citizens who become government children are a whisper away from thought regulation. Those of you who are fond of citing Canada as a perfect place to retreat from the States (not truly willing to commit to a wide berth, huh?) don’t know that Canada prevents foreign news, television, and book owners into their country. Some may say, “Of course! Buy Canadian!” But the lack of diversity (remember we’re the melting pot) permits the narrow one way road of government information destined for your brain.
Finally, if you’re not truly convinced that the government hasn’t assumed “pod people” capacity (I know they can’t do that right?!) then Stage Four puts the cap on your independence; the promise that ideas and words of dissention are considered “hatred.” Britain has capitalized on the use of close-circuit TV (CCTV) (the real Big Brother) Smile you’re always on your local police TV. Scotland Yard’s Community Safety Unit for Homophobic, Racist, and Domestic Incidents investigated an interviewed author due to their remarks on BBC Radio regarding gay adoption. Local police officers dine undercover to listen to community “chatter.” I know that in my home state of Arizona there is a lot of disgust for red-light runner cameras. Perhaps that goes for being a western “don’t fence me in” state, but it reminds me of the thirst and fire we had for freedom. Apparently we’re two hundred and thirty three years removed from it?
