Independence

When I think of July 4th, I think of the word “freedom” – freedom from the rule of the British monarchy, freedom from tyranny, freedom from oppression. We call America, “the land of the free” for a reason. But what exactly does the word “freedom” mean? It means, the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. That type of freedom was a novel idea back in 1776, it was revolutionary in an age where the vast majority of humanity was the subject of a monarch or a despot or a warlord or a slaveowner. Individual sovereignty was a radical idea, because freedom is self-empowering.

There is an old saying, “freedom isn’t free”. Our freedom was not given to us, it did not simply manifest itself out of thin air, it was earned and is protected by brave men and women who have sacrificed their blood, their limbs and even their lives defending our freedom over and over again. So, I have often wondered why July 4th was not called “Freedom Day” or “Liberty Day.” Why is it called, “Independence Day”? Or is “independence” just a fancy word for “freedom” and “liberty”?

Breaking down the word “independence” reveals a more complete and precise meaning. The prefix “in” means, not. And the word “dependence” means, the state of relying on someone or something else. So, the word “in-dependence” means, the state of not relying on someone or something else. So, the freedom that we celebrate on the 4th of July is not solely having right to act, speak, or think as we want without hindrance or restraint, it also means not being dependent, not relying on the government to the point that the government has the power over you to restrain your actions, your speech and your thoughts.

So, the word “independence” means more than freedom from tyranny and oppression, it means freedom from dependence on the government because dependence leads directly to tyranny and oppression. When someone continually gives you something you need, you eventually become dependent on that person, and that dependence puts that person in a power position over you. Very few things are ever given by the powerful to the powerless without strings attached. Eventually, you must do what they tell you to do, or they will take away the thing that you have become dependent on.

That is the gameplan of the left; that is the gameplan of the socialists and the Marxists. They are implementing their Marxist utopia through dependence. They cannot create their oppressive, tyrannical state, if the people are self-reliant. And they would not be able to do it by sheer force. They can only achieve their totalitarian dream by making the people dependent on the government. The entire agenda of the left is tyranny and oppression through government dependence.

Many people believe that the “land of the free” means the government giving the people “free” stuff. Freedom is not getting free stuff from the government. That’s the opposite of freedom. That’s dependence. People are not being liberated when they take government assistance or aid; they are becoming dependent on government. When the government gives a person a welfare check, it is not giving, it is taking. It is taking their freedom, their sovereignty, their self-reliance, their humanity.

Dependence is why the left is against school choice. Parents having the ability to send their child to private school is empowering. Parents would no longer be dependent on the government for their children’s education. They would no longer be forced to send their child to government indoctrination factories. They can actually think for themselves, and the government would lose its grip on the people.

Dependence is the reason why the government “gives” federal grants to colleges and universities. The government is not giving; it is taking. The government is gaining control over these colleges, forcing them to implement DEI programs or affirmative action. It also gives government control over the curriculum of these colleges, dictating what is taught, how its taught, and what can’t be taught.

Dependence is why the left has been against the privatization of Social Security. Privatization means that senior citizens would no longer be dependent on the government for their retirement. The citizens would have total control over their financial future. But instead, most senior citizens depend on the government for their financial survival for the rest of their lives. And the government wants it that way. It wants senior citizens relying on a check they receive from the government every month.

Dependence is why the Democrats have opened the border to millions of unskilled and poorly educated people who don’t speak English. They are importing into the United States millions and millions of future government dependents. They know that once these illegal immigrants become citizens, most will become and stay dependent on the government. That is why our government spends hundreds of billions of dollars each year on social services for illegal immigrants. That is why Gavin Newson is giving free healthcare to illegal immigrants. That is why New York City spends millions of dollars giving illegal immigrants debit cards. They are not liberating these people; they are creating dependents.

Dependence is why the government has allowed the drug cartels to control our southern border and bring in tons and tons of deadly and addictive drugs into our country. Drug smuggling leads to increase drug use which creates more addicts which creates more and more people becoming not only dependent on the drugs, but on the government for their mere survival. That is why many major cities have implemented free needle and drug programs for addicts. It is another way for the government to create dependence on government.

In January, former First Lady Michelle Obama discussed what she thought the role of government in our lives should be. She said, “the fact that people think that government — ‘eh, does it really even do anything?’ — and I’m like ‘Oh my God, does government do everything for us.” She said that like it was a good thing, like that is the goal of government, to do “everything for us”. The more we depend on government, the less free we are, and that’s the way people like the Obama’s want it because that’s the only way that can exact control over the people. Today is not ‘Happy Welfare Check Day’ or ‘Happy Social Security Day’; it is ‘Happy Independence Day’. We will only be truly free when we rely on the government for nothing. And that’s the goal when we celebrate Independence Day.

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Mr. Garrett is a graduate of Princeton University, and a former NFL player, coach, and executive. He has been a contributor to the website Real Clear Politics. He has recently published his first novel, No Wind.