Land of the Free because of the Brave

At home, we have a coaster that reads, “Land of the Free because of the Brave.”

It is a lovely sentiment. I know it’s meant to stir gratitude for our servicemembers who have defended this country and helped our allies around the world.

But the question I have to ask is harder than the slogan: are we truly the Land of the Free?

My husband served 22 years in the US Navy and there is no doubt that this country is full of brave people. I have seen that bravery up close. We know people who paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving. But bravery alone does not guarantee freedom. Freedom is not measured by how proudly we say the word; it is measured by whether we, the people can live it.

If our movements are be tracked by surveillance cameras, if women can be monitored for reproductive decisions, if our reproductive rights are eliminated, if our right to vote is made harder to exercise, and if our freedom of speech is treated as a threat rather than a right, then we need to be honest about what that means.

It means freedom is not being protected equally. It means some people are freer than others. And a country cannot honestly call itself free while basic rights are being stripped away from the people who need those rights most. My favorite meme is this: Men’s rights don’t change from state to state.

 

If we want to call ourselves the land of the free, then freedom has to be more than a slogan on a coaster, more than a phrase we repeat on holidays, and more than a tribute we offer to the brave.

Freedom must mean the right to vote without unnecessary barriers. It must mean the right to make decisions about our own bodies. It must mean the right to speak up without fear. It must mean the right to live without being constantly watched. The brave have defended this country. Now the rest of us must show up and be brave enough to defend the freedoms that make it worth protecting.