Of late I had the privelage to read something from someone most people do not remember, John Stuart Mill. He is best known for his classic essay from 1859 'On Liberty'. In this age of ours, we all have certain beliefs, and values that we feel like the rest of society would benefit from having. Some of those are imposed on us (Privacy Act) in the name of national security. Some are just things that we are frowned upon for doing (leaving our child in the locked car while we run inside to pick something up). Some are things that we are smiled upon if we do do (go to sunday school and church every Sunday). Truthfully, the thing that I have appreciated more than others of late, is my freedom to make the choices that I make. I don't really care if I am frowned at or smiled at, because it is no one's business but mine. I certainly don't think that America should be legislating what I do on my own time. Of course, some people make bad 'choices' and some make better 'choices' but all of them are their choices and they will reap the consequences of them. Who am I to impose my opinions of what they are or should be? I am just another shmoe going around, making my own choices to reap consequences from, and being human and being American does not give me the right to impose my views at all, regardless of my credentials. Mill said all of this much more adeptly than me:
"No society in which these liberties are not , on the whole, respected, is free, whatever may be its form of government; and none is completely free in which they do not exist absolute and unqualified. The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental and spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest..."
"On Liberty" 1859
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I certainly haven't forgotten about Mill; I have just started my Master's Degree in Political Science, and Mill is central to those studies. Central to Mill is of course the harm Principle:
"...The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not sufficient warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier, because, in the opinion of others, to do so would be wise, or even right... The only part of the conduct of anyone, for which he is amenable to society, is that which concerns others. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign."
Unfortunately, most governments go far beyond this basic tenet in the execution of Justice. Rights in America continue to erode, and it is unfair to blame the left or the right enitrely. We are all implicit in the erosion of liberty. The left and the right belong to the same masters at the top of industry. With voter participation below 40% and dropping, America can hardly be considered a popular Democracy.
I agree that what is needed is a return to Old Values as well. We need more republican (small r) values in this country. More states rights, smaller government expenditure (particularly on defense) and above all, a renewed sence of pride and activisim at the community level. We can't turn to the federal government to solve all our problems until we take responsiblity for our own back yards. Change takes root at the local level.
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