Human Desire for Freedom:
“My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was
I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?”x
-C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)
Individuals are bound by the man-made laws of the state whether just or unjust. People are slaves to the physical laws that govern the universe and drawn to moral principle. Moral principle is the measuring rod of human existence. Each one either strives to do what is right, or tries to convince the world that he is right in what he already does. Even the one who claims that there is neither right nor wrong insinuates that it is wrong to think there may be.
“Zack, explain,” his partner insisted, “Cause and effect?”
“I was arrested for something I didn’t do,” Zack began, “This led to an investigation. That investigation led to the discovery of a plot to steal the liberties of the American people; to lead them into a state of dependence on the government and specifically on one particular political party. The system was so rigged that no physical evidence was left that could succeed in bringing a conviction. Thus, this is the only reasonable and worthwhile course of action. Cause and effect.”
“But is it right?” came a scraggly voice from the back of the courtroom.
“Ambassador Luciano’s office,” the secretary at the desk answered, listened for a few moments and responded, “Yes, I will transfer you call to him right away.” She pressed a button, hung up the phone and walked to the office directly behind her own, “Sir, that’s the Human Dignity and Liberty Society on line one for you.”
“Thank you, Sariah,” the ambassador put the group on speaker, “This is Luciano…”
“Hello, ambassador. I just wanted to thank you for your willingness to take part in this forum and would like you to know that all your transportation has been arranged. I sent your flight information to your secretary and look forward to meeting you at the airport.”
Luciano could tell that this was someone else’s secretary from another office. Nobody made their own phone calls, “Thank you, have accommodations been made for my security detail?”
“Yes, sir. Is there anything else you require?”
“No ma’am, I will see you in a couple days.” he hung up and walked down the hallway to a small meeting room where two Americans sat, including Senator Gary Hardin, and several of his own countrymen. As he entered, he closed the door and asked how everyone was doing.
Senator Hardin was the first to respond, “Good, thank you. It was very nice of you to welcome us to your country.”
“No problem,” answered the ambassador, “We champion the opportunity to learn about any other culture. The history of your country is very interesting, always fighting against tyranny, even on behalf of other nations!”
“I wish that were true,” replied the senator, “The reality is that our nation fights mostly for self-interests. That is one of the reasons I wanted to speak with you, so that I can learn how it is this country has existed for 150 years without any laws.”
Luciano laughed, “We have laws. Every civilized society must. Ours are just few, and we have gone two years without creating a new law or amending one.”
“How is this possible?” the senator asked.
The ambassador smiled, “It’s not only possible, but necessary to insure the most liberty. This is no secret. We modeled our constitution after yours. Our founding fathers wanted to have a moral and free society that would be preserved throughout the rest of time. Tell me about your laws. How many do you have?”
“Ambassador Luciano. I can always count on your wisdom,” Zack replied, and he had to think about his answer, “Was it right that the colonists committed treason in order to preserve liberty?”
Luciano shook his head, “Is that what you think this is?
Are you comparing the American Government to English colonization?”
“No,” Zack insisted, “I am saying that it is very close to the same level of tyranny. High taxes and dependence have become the norm, and I see no other way to gain the attention of the American people while we still have the freedom to speak.”
“But is it the right thing to do?” Luciano insisted.
“It has to be!” Zack’s partner interjected, “It has to be the right thing.”
“I don’t know,” Zack admitted, “but it’s all I know to do.”
The ambassador stood up and walked toward the front of the courtroom, “What is your name?” he looked at Zack’s partner.
“T.J.” he answered.
“Well, T.J. why are you doing this?”
“This government has taken far too many freedoms from me.”
“And this is right because…” Luciano probed for further information.
T.J. answered, “Because I deserve equality.”
“And does equality mean that all laws should be made in your favor? What about people who would not benefit from those laws? Are they equal?” the ambassador boldly continued.
Zack interrupted, “This is right. It’s right because no person ought to have control over any other person. That is true equality.”
“The road to Hell is paved with good intentions,” Luciano smiled a smile of disappointment and walked back to his seat.
“Too many to count,” Hardin Answered.
Luciano was surprised, “If you can’t even count them, how do you enforce them?”
“That is a good question,” Hardin didn’t know how to answer, “I fear for my country’s future.”
“That fear may not be misplaced.” Luciano sympathized, “Doesn’t your constitution guard against having too many regulations?”
Hardin laughed, “That hasn’t stopped our leaders from regulating the people more and more. They treat the constitution like suggestion.”
“Then they assume that their opinion is worth more than the vote of every American, past and present.” Luciano took the opportunity to make a point.
Hardin looked disappointed, “This is why I want to learn from your country. My party has asked if I will run for the presidency next year and I want to run on behalf of liberty.”
“Why,” Luciano asked, “Why do you want to represent Liberty?”
Hardin knew not how to answer the question, “Because it is right?”
Luciano smiled, “Yes, but why is it right? By whose authority should people be free?”
Hardin thought for a moment, “Well, I would’ve answered using the Constitution, but it was drafted by human authors, and I can’t say that we are free by the authority of other people, else we subject ourselves under their authority and are actually not free.”
Luciano smiled, “I am so glad you know how to think.
Liberty must be right because all people are equal. When government seizes more control over its people, it makes a very clear statement about human equality. Namely that those in power are worth more. They mock the independence and the intellect of the entire nation. This is why we don’t write many new laws here; because we believe in true human equality.”
After the ambassador sat back down, T.J. asked Zack to continue, “So, you are doing this for the people?”
Detective Casey’s phone rang again and Zack answered, “Senator Elliot?”
The line was silent for about four seconds. “Is anyone there?” Zack asked again. “Why are you doing this?”
“I hope this is Elliot,” Zack replied, still sitting on the witness stand.”
“I am…” came the voice hesitantly.
“Good,” Zack replied, “Here is what I want you to do.
I want you to come inside. Bring one of the live television reporters with you and be sure they keep the feed rolling. I will let two hostages go when you come in and I will not harm anyone else for now. Zack hung up the phone.
“Miss Daniels, will you please stand up.”
She did. Detective Casey handed Zack his sidearm and took Melissa by the arm, whispering in her ear, “Now let’s go catch a real bad guy. Dark matter, right?”
She looked at her partner in disbelief. Would he really take such a measure: using the system to do something the system could not accomplish on its own?
She stood and walked to the front door with her partner. Her quick cooperation was surprising. They waited and waited before there was finally a knock. They opened the door and switched places with Senator Elliot and the reporter he had chosen. T.J. oversaw the trade.
As T.J. ushered the two into the courtroom, Zack stood and asked Elliot to take the stand, “Please state your full name for the court.”
There was a sweetness to the type of liberty that Luciano was describing, but the disposition was not without its apparent weaknesses. “How do you guard the security of the people?”
Luciano smiled again, “That is why we do have some laws. The laws we have guard the equal liberty and individual practice of our people. So, our most important law is that no person ought to impede the liberty of another in his own right. So instead of having anti-discrimination laws, we have pro- liberty laws.”
Hardin was intrigued, “So a baker here can refuse business to anyone for any reason?”
“Yes,” Luciano answered quickly, “but we have found that when one business refuses their services, another will provide and will experience growth in their business. A free economy takes care of itself. People who choose to discriminate without justification usually end up losing business while those who don’t prosper. There is no need for a law. We also find as we study the history of other nations that the more control over the people that a government has, the more rebellious its people are. It seems to be a natural reaction. Cause and effect.”
“And what is a pro-liberty law?” Hardin asked.
Luciano was pleased to answer, “Our national stance on abortion will illustrate this perfectly. We believe that all people are equal. Because of this, we guard life. Murder is against the law, as is abortion; because every person has the right to life and liberty. The laws we have prohibit the prohibition of that life and liberty, and the same given rights to life and liberty belong to all people regardless of color, creed or age.”
“Timothy Elliot,” he answered as he took the stand, “Why am I here?”
Zack looked at T.J. as he made sure the camera was rolling and the feed was live. Zack pulled up the local television channel on someone’s phone to ensure the world was watching, “You are here to tell the world why you orchestrated the murder of Senator Hardin.” People in the courtroom looked back and forth at one another. What claim was Zack making?
“Why would I do such a thing?” he inquired harshly. Zack paced across the floor, “Did he not oppose your political machine and the agenda it had to seize more control over educational institutions?”
“Hardin opposed many things, but I am certain that I do not have a machine that wants to seize control of America’s education.”
“If that is the case,” Zack insisted, “please tell us about the bill you were hoping to introduce on the Senate floor next week.”
“What bill?” Elliot seemed oblivious.
After their meeting, Hardin rode to the airport to catch his flight back home to Glenn Bluff and to prepare for the Liberty Summit.
After the summit, he walked to his car and set his brief bag on the sidewalk. The Senator reached into his pocket and looked down to find the correct key. When he looked up, there was a familiar face hiding behind the barrel of a handgun and under a hood. No one else there would have recognized who it was, but the Senator did.
“After all this time? This is what it comes to?” He asked.
“If it means anything, everything I said was true…” Both the gun and the senator’s body fell to the earth.
“Cause and effect.”