Today we celebrate the birthday of our nation and the unparalleled freedoms that we enjoy. There will be flag waving, parades, air shows and political speeches as the annual wave of patriotism sweeps across the country. There will also be talk of threats to our freedom, focused primarily on the rise of terrorism and on the rogue States that still infest this globe.
But while such external villains have and do exist, there are more insidious, internal forces that pose a threat to our freedom and welfare. As the study of history demonstrates, destructive philosophies such as communism, fascism, genocide and religious zealotry rise from within human society, gaining momentum when an oppressed or uneducated populace is receptive to the message. Recognizing the opportunity for self-promotion and political power, charismatic leaders emerge and their narrow-minded views gain favor.
Operating under the cover of individual freedom, they foment beliefs that threaten the broader rights of human society; discrimination, persecution and intolerance are their weapons of choice. If we Americans are truly interested in protecting our freedoms, we best stop focusing on foreign threats and turn our attention toward destructive elements within our own society.
