RSSLiberty vs Equality
It’s all well and good to talk about freedom, change and progress during MLK week, but let’s continue forward with the discussions because I don’t feel like waiting until the shortest month of the year to celebrate “black history.” And I damn sure don’t want to wait another full year afterwards or until the next racial outrage (which happens about once every other month) gets picked up by the media.
The American Dream rests upon the strength of two pillars: liberty and equality. The dogmatic mantras of mainstream culture often utter these concepts in a single breath, but they are NOT synonymous. While these principles may seem to create a strong ideological foundation, they fundamentally contradict one another.
Liberty guarantees the right of individuals to ascend or descend in society, regardless of one’s social predisposition. It addresses the freedoms of people to live their lives without regulations and restrictions. It is not difficult to see how it obtained its stature in the American consciousness because it is necessary for independence. Equality on the other hand ensures the same rights and benefits exist amongst all peoples regardless of their race, class, beliefs, etc. The journey towards equality has been the cornerstone of those who hope to bring better days to the people, particularly the have-nots. The object of the quest towards equality is to level the playing field.
There can be little argument which side America has favored since she declared independence over 230 years ago, however neither exist in their absolute states. While it can be argued that the goal should be to ensure that everyone is equal in the liberty which they possess, we all know this is wishful thinking at best. In one of the richest nations the world has ever known, one which exclaims itself to be free, why is it that food, shelter, clothing, healthcare and education are not human rights? Could it be that liberty includes the freedom to both fail and be unequal? In the ever-widening gap between rich and poor, is believing and preaching equality patronizing? Do I really have the right to do whatever I like so long as I do not infringe upon the rights of others? If one expects equal opportunity to be a basic right of everyone, isn’t it hypocritical to hate on minorities concerning race, beliefs, immigration, sexual orientation, when mainstream culture finds it convenient?
Now, I know that everyone believes in a little bit of both in moderation. This is the conditioning we have had pumped into our heads since grade school. If the two can be successfully married, feel free, but good luck keeping these kids together. Liberty or equality? Sound off.
3 Comments, Comment or Ping
Booosy
First of hate hate hate, that post was hard hitting but from a suburb poor point of view of Henry 18, it is neither liberty nor equality when his parents buy him a BMW and we can’t even pay rent.Duke Boosy aka SIr Bougie Black
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Malia
Very interseting piece Terry. No one questions the right of all men to equal justice under law, but we all know it doesn’t work beyond equality of rights to equality of things ((and in the hood sometimes even the equality of rights are questionable)), and men are heard to proclaim human equality who would revolt at the suggestion that all birds, all fish, all cattle, all dogs or all race horses are equal. Of course, all men are not created equal any more so than are all other members of the animal kingdom. Even if they are created equal, creation ends when life begins, and life is always unequal. Nevertheless, we are told over and over again and again that all men are equal and the Declaration of Independence is cited as final authority.
The Declaration is Not the Law
[Reply]
"a mom"
Everyday I get up in the morning watch the news, get in my car, drive to work. I see the hipocrisy. The news tells you what they want you to hear. The signs and lines on the roads tell your where to go. At work our Bosses(Masters) who sometimes aren’t the ones who should be in that position, tell you how they want it done. No! from what I see these thing do not apply in our country. Freedoms have become just another word, with no action behind it. No freedom of speech etc. We are all on a list right now for just chating. But we keep on anyway!
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