Freedom In America

The struggle for freedom has existed since the beginning of civilization. When creating a nation, leaders must decide who has power and how much power they should have. However, finding the balance between an excess of freedom and insufficient freedom is difficult. Two societies for comparison are North Korea and Somalia. North Koreans have little liberty to do as they choose. The government denies human rights and allows citizens to starve, while using wealth better spent on its citizens to grow military might. Giving citizens little freedom of choice is obviously not a good way to govern; however, the opposite also makes for an unstable country ("Life"). Somalia is an unstable society with no central government and instead a series of "clans
The image of a population granted unlimited freedom is alarming: people can do whatever they want, and they will not be persecuted by the law. It is obvious that unrestricted freedom would not be safe in a society–people would murder and steal, and the transgressors could not be convicted because no crime they committed was against the law because the law would not exist. Few limits, rather than none, might have a similar, if less drastic, effect. If a country had few laws, citizens could still endanger their own lives and others'. If one simple law, such as making people wear seat belts, was lifted, consequences would soon become evident. Being required to wear seat belts is restrictive to freedom, but the law was put in place for a purpose: to keep citizens safe. If people were not required to wear seat belts, many people would not, as it is more convenient and comfortable not to, and the fatal accident rate would increase. Any other example could be put in place of the seat belt law: laws that people complain about "restricting their freedom" may have a purpose of safety that they do not realize. Laws that restrict freedom save
However, many believe freedom is absolute–they demand rights that according to them they deserve. If anyone suggests that certain limits be put in place that might in any way hinder their ability to live life however they desire, those advocates are appalled and even offended. Unfortunately, those advocating for an excess of freedom have not considered the fact that nations of extreme freedom degrade into a weakly governed and unsafe country ("Communism"). In our nation, Americans already have a plethora of freedoms that other peoples could not even consider. America is blessed, and advocates for yet more rights should consider that. Other nations' citizens still have basic freedoms to be granted, such as the freedom of having a full stomach (Sen 17), which are necessities that need to be granted before such wealthy citizens as Americans plead for a minute freedom they do not need to survive. They must recognize that the only real freedom comes from God, who grants all people the freedom of choice