What is 'liberty' in land of the free, home of the brave?

Frontiersman editorial board

As the smoke from July fourth settles, and people get back to their daily routines, we wonder how the meaning of the nation's celebration of its independence resonates with people in our community now.

Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, 2001, there has been a sense of heightened patriotism in the U.S., but what does that really mean? Some believe it is patriotic to support the president without question, especially in regard to the war on terrorism. Others, who do not support at least some of the president's policies, claim that exercising their First Amendment rights by giving voice to their dissent is the patriotic thing to do.

U.S. flags are more visible now than at any other time in recent memory -- waving above homes, stuck to car windows and adorning everything from jewelry to plastic dinnerware. Today's Spectrum speaks of the flag's symbolic power, and many people clearly have responded to that power. But is it accurate to say that soldiers have died for the flag, or would it be more accurate to say they fought and died for what the flag represents? It seems the latter must be true, but shouldn't that suggest that we share at least some common concepts of what defines American liberty?

For now, our era is defined as a time when our liberties have come under attack, and a time when we have apparently resolved to protect them. But from where does that attack originate? Does it come from foreign terrorists, or are our liberties more threatened by our own legislation, in the form of laws like the U.S.A. Patriot Act? It is a debate that will likely continue for decades, but for now, there can be no doubt that at least some of our individual liberties have been weakened by the Patriot Act, and it is not clear if that legislation has resulted in the arrest of any potential terrorists, or if it ever will.

Is it worth it to sacrifice some rights to protect others? If so, which ones are worth sacrificing, and to what degree? More importantly, what does the term liberty mean to you? If someone from another country asked you what the United States stands for, what would you tell them? If you had to describe why the U.S. is a symbol of liberty, how would you do that? We invite our readers to write letters to the editor to help explore what liberty means in the Mat-Su. We hope to hear from you soon.