Recently, a local rock group here in Omaha had recorded a song in which
the words call for the killing of police. This rock group was interviewed by some local news
journalists about the dastardliness of the words. The reply of these young singers was that in this country we
have freedom of speech, so why can't they say whatever they want to say?
I cringed in my chair realizing that these young people were not
differentiating between FREEDOM and LICENSE. There is a difference --- and NO - WE MAY NOT SAY
WHATEVER WE MIGHT WANT TO SAY.
As a young person, I looked forward to the weekly television programs of
Bishop Fulton J. Sheen. What a great speaker and what a great mind!!!!
Among the many things I learned from the Bishop was the definition of
freedom. He said: "Freedom is the right to do what we should do!" In other words, freedom
does not mean that any of us can do or say whatever we feel like doing or saying. For example, your
neighbor might be driven to burn down your house, but does he/she have the right to do so? Tabloids
print all kinds of stories about people and sometimes get sued for millions for the lies that they print. No
one has the right to libel anyone.
God gave us Ten Commandments to observe. They are not outdated or old
fashioned. We are dutifully bound to keep all of them. None of us has the right to act
contrary to what God ordains. To act contrary to God's laws is to sin, and as I have written before: NO ONE HAS A RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS WRONG.
The gravity of the local rock group's song reminded our Omaha community
of the death of a very young policeman a few years ago, who was shot by a young man as he sat in his
police car.
Freedom does not mean license. Freedom does not mean we can say or do
whatever we please. If we could do so, there would be no law and order in the world. Everyone
has rights and laws are necessary to protect those rights.
There is a great confusion which exists in those minds that think they
can call for any evil and be justified in doing do. Frankly, I sometimes wonder if even court justices
understand the difference between freedom and license.
Parents and teachers must do all that they can to help their children, as
soon as possible, to understand that there are rules which bind everyone and respect for God and
one another implies that certain self-control is in order.
If people lived by LICENSE only, our world be worse than jungle
existence, because even the wild animals have a respect for what nature has built into them.
Dear reader, this all goes back to keeping God's Commandments. Let us
pray for each other.
God bless you!
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