Readers express how precious America's freedom is

Deseret Morning News readers had many thoughts on freedom, per my request last week for submissions on the topic. Here's what some of them had to say:

• Freedom is not free

"Our freedoms were not, and are not free. They have been won and paid for by everyone who ever fought a war to preserve them and died to pay for our freedom. People who think life owes them anything need to wake up and work every moment to preserve those freedoms.

We all need to study the Constitution of the United States of America and fight to protect it from all enemies both foreign and domestic. It is a sad day when anyone claims an entitlement. If you did not put in maximum effort to study about how this country came to be, you should be ashamed of yourself and then commit to a vigorous quest to learn about our freedoms that are not free.

Come to understand why we have the freedom of speech, press, religion, petition and assembly. And stop pretending that life or someone owes you!"

I don't know who to attribute this to since it came in via e-mail, and I hesitate to publish the writer's e-mail without permission. But it really resonated with me. The writer is correct. We should be better students of our history and our freedoms. They're not free and they shouldn't be taken for granted. Nor should they be given up too easily, which regular readers know is one of my concerns in the post-Sept. 11 world.

If you ever get the harebrained idea that these freedoms don't matter, call the U.S. District Court and ask for the date and time of the next swearing-in ceremony for new American citizens. Our newest citizens can tell you stories of oppression that will make your skin crawl and give you a renewed sense of gratefulness for freedoms we too often take for granted.

• Free to go

Barbara Toomer, a veteran of World War II and an outspoken advocate for people with disabilities, writes: "Ask any of my friends who have been in nursing homes what freedom means, and they will tell you that it's eating what you want, when you want, going where you want when you want, and living where you want — the same things that freedom means to you and to me."

Barbara refers to our nation's broken Medicaid policy that will fund institutionalized care but rarely pays for community-based services that enable people to live in their homes with some outside supports. If I live to be 100 years old, I will never understand these policies. Don't get me wrong, there are some nursing homes that do a fantastic job with patients. But there is something wrong, as Barbara advocates, with cookie-cutter "solutions."