Liberty VS Luxury
For the foreseeable future, our timeline will be calibrated against a global pandemic. Pre-COVID, during-COVID, and post-COVID will define our context. Our new reality is one where we have to weigh the risks and benefits every time we leave the house, sanitize until our hands crack, and, in many cases, make tough decisions between work and health.
All the while, our county is seeing mixed messages about the risks and making an informed decision can be more difficult for those who don’t know where to look. We’ve all seen the photos or posts of those who feel that being told to stay home is the equivalent of oppression. America is nothing if not the land of the free. Specifically, individual freedom. Individuals want the power to choose for themselves whether or not to stay home, wear a mask, or wash their hands.
I get it. For those who have never been confronted with externally imposed limitations, being denied the opportunity to get your hair done might feel like an infringement on freedom. But let’s be clear, not having access to luxuries-during a time when no one has access-is not the same as oppression. Oppression (in one form) is being denied access, when others have it, because of your faith, gender, race, sexual orientation, etc. While some Americans are indigent about a temporary inconvenience put in place for this little thing called the good of all, other Americans have faced true oppression for years, decades, centuries.
It is true that freedoms are being denied in the US. The freedom for Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson to sit in a Starbucks was denied. The freedom for Ahmaud Arbery to go jogging was denied. The freedom for Rockell Baldwin to call her mother was denied. The list goes on. And on. And on.
Sometimes this oppression manifests as a refusal of service, sometimes as an arrest, and sometimes, many times, this oppression manifests as murder. A truly free country would enable all residents and visitors to live without fear. An infringement on the freedoms of some Americans, threatens the freedom of all Americans. Freedom isn’t a limited resource. To fight for others to have liberty doesn’t mean you have less. To care about creating a world in which others can live without fear is liberating for all.
I recently watched the speech Obama gave as a senator in 2004. It is beyond inspiring. This part in particular moved me:
“It’s not enough for just some of us to prosper. For alongside our famous individualism, there’s another ingredient in the American saga: a belief that we’re all connected as one people. If there’s a child on the Southside of Chicago who can’t read, that matters to me, even if it’s not my child. If there’s a senior citizen somewhere who can’t pay for their perscription drugs and having to choose between the medicine and the rent, that makes my life poor, even if it’s not my grandparent. If there’s an Arab-American family being rounded up without benefit of attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It is that fundamental belief, ‘I am my brother’s keeper; I am my sister’s keeper,’ that makes this country work. It’s what allows us to pursue our individual dreams yet still come together as one American Family.” Barack Obama, 2004 DNC Convention
We have an opportunity to step up as Americans and show that we are not driven by capitalism, but compassion. To show that we understand that true liberty, as a community, may require a denial of some luxuries in times of crisis. To commit to fighting for justice even when the inequity is in your favor. We have a public health crisis, but we also have crisis of freedom for all.
Today Ahmaud Arbery would have been 26 years old. His murder was a hate crime and something we cannot tolerate. Today I ran 2.23 miles in solidarity with him and with people, globally, who are committed to fighting for justice. But there is more work to be done.
One way to help is to support minorities in leadership. HIRE minorities in leadership. VOTE for minorities in leadership. No offense, but we see where white, predominantly male, leadership has gotten us, on every level. In hundreds of years not much has changed in terms of awareness and motivation. It shouldn’t take this brutal murder to have legal protections in place at the state level. It is beyond the time for people like Joe Biden to step back and follow. If you are white and have a platform, use it to promote others, share their vision and mission. This is not about “optics” or “diversity” or even inclusion, this is about humility and recognizing that often times someone else is better equipped.
Another is to call Governor Kemp and express your support for the Georgia Hate Crimes Bill, HB 426. That number is (404) 656-1776 and you’ll speak with a nice fellow named Michael. Another is to call the Georgia House of Representatives and do the same. Call 404-656-5020 and you’ll likely leave a voicemail. If you do speak with people ask for who else they think you can call. Take down that number and call it.
It’s time to take the passion we have for access to luxuries and channel that into a passion for liberty. True liberty.
I run with Ahmaud. I vote with Ahmaud. I fight for Ahmaud.