Freedom and Responsibility

Freedom and Responsibility
by
Ray Muth

If you have ever read my columns over the years, you may detect that I place a premium on the freedom of expression and the freedom of religion. I give the Valley News Dispatch a lot of credit for allowing me to express those freedoms. But imagine a land where people were so controlled that articles like mine would cause me to lose my job or even cause me to be sent to jail. I recently had a taste of what an experience like that would be like:

Cantonese was her native tongue but Mandurin was what she was taught in school. Even though she didn't know any English when she came here, she spoke it as well as most of us. Fate brought us together as we were traveling down uncharted waters at work with Internet commerce. Her name was Gloria. Ok, it was more like Guoli but I could never get it right so she said softly, "just call me Gloria. Those two vowels together are tough for you Americans." Computer programming was second nature to her. She was sharp, really sharp. I was in awe and a big fan.

Gloria needed a ride back to the airport and being the chivalrous guy that I am, I was happy to oblige. We talked about many things but Gloria was always serious, choosing her words very carefully as if someone else was in the car.

But then I asked a small question, a question that was as innocent as a snowflake. Little did I know that the snowflake would became a snowball which in turn gave way to an avalanche of expression. "Let me ask you Gloria, why did you come here?" I asked. "There are more choices here. Over there, we just get things from one side. I didn't like that," she said. But then her voice dropped a bit and she continued, "but you have too much freedom over here. People don't know what to do with it."

"We have forgotten that with freedom comes responsibility. Too many people think that freedom means doing whatever you want, whenever you want. That is why it is so important that when we speak, we speak truth," I said. "Exactly," she responded.

"Well today is your lucky day Gloria. You have just run into the apologist for freedom. I believe that freedom of expression and freedom of religion are the two biggest components which allow us to be truly alive and creative," I gushed.

Gloria politely paused and said, "I totally agree with you. Without that freedom, we are stifled. But I'm not so sure everything is better here," she said. "Take divorce for example. It's something not even thought of over there. We don't even consider it. Here, I just don't know. It's crazy," she remarked. The breakdown of the American family and its devastating affect on children was something very evident to Gloria. There was a deep sense of respect, dignity and honor within her. While Christianity was foreign to her, her sense of family values and morality was more in keeping with the Gospel than most who profess such faith.

I could resist no longer. I began babbling about the students of Tianamen Square. I wanted to know what it was like, what it was really like. It was here that Gloria shared many interesting thoughts. Wow. What a great experience for some ordinary guy from the Kiski Valley.

As she spoke, I just kept picturing our American flag unfurling majestically under a kind wind. "We take what we have so much for granted. You have shown me so much this day," I said as she departed.

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