Contributed by Wes Keller
“Freedom of choice” has a lofty and deep meaning… Or at least it did until some unknown decided it was a good label to rob for a political agenda! The label ‘stuck’ and now defines a modern moral and political value. The actual historical meaning of the terms need to be re-visited.
When studied, our human ‘owner specs’ reveal we have amazing, profound freedoms, built right into us, including the ability to choose the focal point of our mind! No other living creature has such a remarkable capability. Our choice of religious belief, our words, actions, thoughts… All are ours to make, restrained only by our freedom to choose what to restrain ourselves, accommodating the needs and choices of other humans.
Ideally, we honorably inhibit ourselves, by choices we are free to make, based on what we learn about “truth”. Good choices, based on truth, are referred to as “wisdom”. One of life’s many options is to submit or not, to civil law (society’s collaborative rule compilation). These ‘group rules’ can provide peace, prosperity and security to society if they are founded on truth, or they can become oppressive when they accommodate greed or other human corruptions of truth.
When “freedom of choice” is lost due to death, drug abuse, mental illness or brain injury, it is tragic and dehumanizing. It is also tragic when “freedom of choice” is lost because of bad choices – whether individual or the result of someone else’s. Herein lies the enigma: To what extent do we interfere with someone else’s choices to “protect” them or others? Any parent knows a child’s choices often need to be thwarted for physical safety and to nurture the child’s discovery of truth and knowledge. A child becomes an adult when he or she gains wisdom to fully embrace their “freedom of choice”; both the benefits and consequences of those choices, not simply by turning a specific age. A parent’s reward is to watch a child become wise and responsible in this freedom.
America has paid the highest honor to mankind by ensuring every human is ultimately guaranteed “Freedom of Choice” (all men are created equal). This is the great American experiment! Did you know? Freedom is a noun meaning “the state of being free from the control of power of another” - and it’s first known use is before the 12th century (merriam-webster.com/thesaurus). Choice is a noun regarding to selection, options or having to do with degrees of quality - and its first known use was in the 14th century (merriam-webster.com/dictionary). Pro is also a noun meaning “an argument or evidence in affirmation; the affirmative side or one holding it” - and its first known use was in the 15th century (merriam-webster.com/dictionary). In comparison, the term “Pro-choice” is considered to be an adjective and has only been used since 1973.
I have very deep resentment at being thought of as “anti-choice” because the label “Freedom of Choice” was successfully stolen! Using historical Webster definitions, I may be one of the most pro-choice people you know! We are talking about the foundational meaning of freedom that untold thousands have laid down their lives to attain and protect. Freedom has been cheapened by re-defining the term “pro-choice” to mean killing an unborn child. Ironically, the evil hijacking of the terms dehumanizing a child before he or she can choose anything; how anti-American! The unborn are not guaranteed “freedom of choice” or even considered, even though we say we believe, “All men are created equal.”
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. - Genesis 1:26–27
Wes Keller
WesKeller.com
