Crainte de la liberté, deuxième édition

Today I found an itty-bitty post as weighty as a masterpiece. Honest Poet said:

Hitler said that people would rather believe a lie than to be free. Of course he used that common human trait to the hilt.

Freedom is scary because it means you’re responsible. You’re responsible for your own actions. Every minute of every day.

I choose freedom. I think what feels true to me, do what feels true to me, even if that means defying convention or even the law. I can’t help it: it’s my nature. That’s why I call myself Honest Poet. I refuse to lie to be nice or get along. I won’t pretend that a lie is the truth.

I search for facts, and try to make good choices, try to judge what’s right at any given moment, doing my best to cause the least harm I can.

I see each human being for what she or he is: a human being, each with her/his own hopes and fears.

The world without blinders on dazzles, and sometimes terrifies.

The Honest Poet captured, in mere words, the thoughts and feelings of my mind and being. I would even guess that she captured your thoughts and feelings too, because no matter your politics, religion, or nationality, humans innately have an underlying desire to be free.

Think on what she offered as a description. It is not a promise of everlasting joy without tinges of hardship; it is joy based on freedom and responsibility. Personal freedom without responsibility is truly the freedom of the person bailing you out. Responsibility without freedom is slavery. You have to experience the coupled ideas for true liberty.

I’ve met Honest Poet only through her words, but she seems to be a lady worth knowing. After reading her blog, I am sure that we may have one or two disagreements. Then again, after reading her blog, I know that any disagreement will be tempered by the strongest bond of all; a mutual respect for freedom.

So, in that vein, here is to viewing life without blinders. Here’s to a dazzling, terrifying kaleidoscope of ideas. Here’s to hoping mankind can finally see that we are mirror images of each other and that we finally treat our reflections well.

~ by Miche on February 23, 2007.