As we celebrate Canada Day and the Fourth of July, it is important to take a hard look at freedom. Even though it’s a well-worn saying, it is true that “freedom ain’t free.” And the clearest and most powerful way to look at that cost is when someone who believes in it lays down their life for freedom. I was moved when I saw this clip from Newsweek that featured three mothers whose American sons went to Ukraine to fight against Vladimir Putin. These young men died for Ukraine, and for democracy. They are models of citizenship vs. dictatorship. Like it or not, we all are part of the same struggle in the 21st century.
What Putin represents is clearly the opposite of what we cherish: the ability to speak our minds, practice our faith, love without prejudice and having an equal voice in the direction of our government. Dictators are people who wish to exert their will over the masses. Usually found in the political arena, they also can be found elsewhere. Everyone has worked a job that had a tyrannical boss. There are dictators in the media. There are dictators in the arts. There are dictators in churches. These people at their best are mere bullies. At their worst they can cause death and destruction. Either way, the right thing is to expose them for what they are and stand against them. It is not an easy task.
Not all of us can sling a rifle and go fight Putin. Nor should we. These days he is just one of many of these dictators that we have to face. However, we can do our bit to not waver from the truth, to discern substance from lies and be honest in our opinion.
Dictators love to surround themselves with admirers and blind followers. They tend to attract people who delight in the abusive power dictators wield. They feed off that strength to hide their own insecurity about life. In some ways these people are more dangerous because they want so hard to have some sort of meaning in life. In short, they are the lampreys feeding off the shark.
They therefore believe themselves righteous. They will not hesitate to invoke God or the Bible to prove their righteousness. The only way to help such people is to remove the dictator of power. In Putin’s case, it is through our taxes. In other cases, it is by the vote or even being independent of their control, such as the music business. The other powerful move is to deny them an enemy. Engage with them as a neighbor. It can be just a smile and a friendly wave to remind them that you are not “the adversary.”
Indignant righteousness is far different from differing with political ideologies that may not match our own. In democracy, in freedom, we can practice those ideologies without fear of reprisal. We seek through discourse, and ultimately the vote, the idea that any idea or law is sound. We patiently test that law or ideology and if it doesn't succeed, we seek to change it.
Righteousness and dictatorship see that as a vampire would a crucifix. They abhor any sort of consensus. They ensure that doesn't happy by threatening retribution on those who differ in opinion. Once we start down the road of retribution, we head into civil war.
If we truly love your neighbor as ourselves, we can’t become the thing we make a stand against. That means we cannot fall prey to the herd mentality dictators, and wannabes, through force and fear try to create.
Our freedom demands we constantly question ourselves, our government and all our institutions. We also have to practice charity toward those who are victims of dictators. There for the grace of God goes all of us.
Finally, we need to believe, as Franklin Roosevelt said, “the only thing to fear is fear itself.”
These mothers who lost their sons in the war for democracy taking place in Ukraine all were resolute in that their sons died for doing what they thought was right. Time will tell if they died in vain. We may not have to die on the battlefield, but we need to live in being truthful, standing up for our convictions and model for others exemplary citizenship by being actively engaged in civic discourse and action. By practicing the art of charity towards those we don't agree with ideologically. If we do, then we have something to celebrate on our national holidays.
READ MARTIN’S BLOG ABOUT THIS MISSISSIPPI.