Laws place limits on Americans' freedoms

Mr. Hayward reminds us to research a topic before writing about it. However, I must ask Mr. Hayward to think about his topic of "freedom" after he has done his "research" rather than regurgitating the ideas he has been fed.

No doubt every youth in this country would chose to receive a good education, yet as the secretary of education says, "Nearly 70 percent of inner-city and rural fourth graders cannot read at even a basic level.

Imagine that: In the greatest, wealthiest nation the world has ever known, nearly seven out of every 10 fourth graders in big cities and rural areas cannot read."

So it is us who sit in the ivory towers who are free. Yet even we are free only to the extent that we wish to obey the established laws. You allude to the fact that we elect the officials who make these laws, and therefore we choose the laws. But I ask you, what if the official I vote for is not elected? Or by participating in the voting system, am I consenting to its outcome? What if I disagree with the entire framework of the system and because of this I do not participate? Do I then consent because I live here? But I live here by chance, this is where I happened to have been born, and if I move to a different country, aren't I forced to consent to their officials and laws? A legitimate government is based on the consent of the governed, but I ask, what happens to the freedom of those of us who do not consent?

You are free to do what you want in this country, provided you can pay for it and your desires are in line with the majority. But is this really freedom?

Luke Van De Walle

Senior, School of Liberal Arts

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