I was listening to talk radio a few weeks or so ago and the guest speaker was talking about the sad shape our country is in and the need for a unified effort for positive change. One thing that he said got me to thinking. He said hate is not the opposite of love. The opposite of love is indifference. When we are indifferent to those around us there is no love. It doesn’t matter what is involved. It could be homelessness, hunger, mental illness, drug addiction or grief. Indifference to the strife of others is not love in any form. It is the opposite of love. Not born of hate, but of apathy. When we love others we try to help them, even if we get nothing in return and that makes life better for all of us. Love makes life worth living and forms bonds between us. Funny thing about love is that it only works when it is given away. When love is withheld, apathy is born which leaves fertile ground for hatred and bitterness. Freedom, like love only works when we give it willingly to others even when they do things we may not like or agree with. If we only allow freedom to those who do things we approve of, bans on unwanted activity spring forth, and freedom dies incrementally. No matter what we chose to do, some will find it favorable and some will object. There are no universally accepted behaviors. Consider worshipping God. If you worship the right God you may find favor with those that agree you have chosen correctly but others will vehemently disagree. Wars throughout history have been fought over just such disagreements.

If we want freedom to survive, we must look out for each other and be willing to stand together in support of each other because apathy kills freedom. Freedom is an expression of love for your fellow-man. Freedom is one of the principles that our country was built on. Many Americans have given their all in defense of that freedom and many more have risked the same. We should not let their blood and sacrifice be in vain. We should stand together in support of our freedom.

Randy Johnson