Reflections on Freedom

By John Risselada

I remember growing up on the west side of Michigan. A little town called Holland, right on the coast of Lake Michigan actually. I can’t honestly say I grew up as a happy child; I lived the majority of my younger years not having a clue what it felt like to be loved by parents. How that came to be is for another time but I sure can tell you one thing, I remember what it was like to be free. To be free at heart is what makes youth so precious, and boy was I ever free. Of course back in the early 1980’s in a small town like Holland there was little to worry about. Today the city is like any other where parents don’t let their kids out of their site for fear of a child molester stalking them. Gangs have become a problem just like anywhere else and the state of Michigan in general has been battered by failed liberal economic policies. Regardless, I often find myself longing for that unrestrained freedom that came from a ten speed bike, a walkman and a fishing pole.......Unfortunately, the concept that many fail to grasp is that personal responsibility is the epitome of the definition of freedom. To me it’s a pretty simple concept, you either take responsibility or someone else will assume it for you. Once the government has taken responsibility for you the freedom to learn it yourself is all but gone. This is the message that conservatives need to embrace......To Read More.....