What did freedom mean to our veterans and citizens decades ago? Freedom to worship in any denomination rather than a state-sponsored church, a right to seek a career and keep most of our earned income, a chance to practice alternative health ideas, ownership of private property, free to teach our children at home rather than forced to enroll them in public schools, a right to relocate in pursuit of personal dreams, a choice to marry or stay single, to bear children or remain child-free, to read books uncensored and the free exercise of speech.

Many American freedoms have been taken away by our own citizens, not by some terrorist outside force. We cannot blame the recession on our leaders nor on a particular political party. Restriction of our economic liberties results from the dependency of the masses upon socialist programs.

The Good Book tells us to pay what we owe and those who don’t support their own household are worse than unbelievers. Parents are suppose to provide for their children. Instead many Americans have relied upon credit cards or a 30-year mortgage with no down payment to finance lifestyles above their income level. They want more than they need and are not thankful for what they have. Envy, pride, greed, gluttony, sloth have lead to stealing money from neighbors via excess tax breaks and socialist welfare (HUD, AFDC, BadgerCare, food stamps, social security, Medicare, WIC, any subsidy). These and individual bankruptcies plant the seeds of destruction when people do not live up to their promises and responsibilities.

These personal sins on a grand scale have spiraled the U.S. into its financial crisis. At 41, I finally found a job which pays over minimum wage, live in a very modest home where few would be happy, yet contentment springs from within.

When individuals repent, God can heal our land. Until then, we will reap what we have sown.

Elizabeth C. Swift

Westby

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