Augurs Of Freedom

Americans love celebrating their tradition of freedom, especially through the words of presidents on January 20, every four years when the presidential inauguration takes place on Inauguration Day.

In his 1953 Address, Dwight Eisenhower said, “We are called as a people to give testimony in the sight of the world to our faith that the future shall belong to the free.”

On January 20, 1961, JFK said “……. the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.”

In 1969, on the same date, Richard Nixon said, “The essence of freedom is that each of us shares in the shaping of his own destiny.”

Australia does not have the same robust and articulate commitment to liberty.

A few days ago, I asked a bloke, who is the Australian equivalent for me of England’s Samuel Johnson and who knows a fair bit about my situation, “….. do you recognise the trashing in 2016 of my rights under articles 19 and 21 of UDHR?” (freedom of speech and the right to participate in government in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Aussie Sammy answered, “I do. You and many other citizens and non-citizens will experience such outrages but when a Court is involved, they are lawful under the law for the land that applies them – even when, as I say, the greater human right is being trashed.”

This fella was talking to me about a country he loves more than I can. He showed great personal integrity in speaking so honestly.

I cant live with this sort of “legality” where The Law and those responsible for it can destroy the foundations of democracy with impunity. In my case this was done when I was trying to celebrate democracy and freedom.

I cannot pretend to be willing to be a part of such a country.

Geoff Fox, 20th January, 2020, Terra Nullius.