In schools across the country students are taught lessons like the one that their freedom to swing their fists stops before the noses of others because the others are also free. The Pledge of Allegiance describes the country as one with liberty and justice for all. Understanding that freedom only comes with responsibilities and that people living in anarchy are by no means free can be difficult lessons, but most people in the country have dedicated themselves to "mind our their businesses" as they would describe them, and as they believe others ought to describe them.
History is clear that government can, in some instances at least, indeed declare independence as it did in the Revolutionary War. History is also clear that government can grant that independence to former slaves as it did in the Civil War.
It is not usually the case however that either government or war set people very free. Government often tends to certain bad habits, as can the military. Power corrupts and is used abusively in many cases. It might often be that the abuse of power is not as deliberate as it is a misunderstanding of necessary order. Many supporters of government anyway believe that they are working toward some necessary order in giving powers to their government. They do not believe they themselves are abusive.
While those people misunderstand and misrepresent necessary order, other people misunderstand and misrepresent freedom. They can even give freedom a bad name. Freedom then becomes so very misunderstood. When good definitions of necessary order and freedom are lost, calamity ensues. Perhaps not WWI, but WWII can be described as "liberating."
To sort out which are the good and bad governments and which are the good and bad freedoms it can be expedient to develop a formula. It can be quite surprising even to many well schooled Americans lately that two critical elements of freedom are private property rules and strict marriage rules. Some cannot see how either of those could possibly lead to freedom. On careful consideration it can be apparent though that people who take care of their own children with their own property and talents are indeed "minding their own business." They are in fact minding their own business better than appears at all possible otherwise.
Many are not convinced. Many think that just one of the elements will lead to "good" freedom and necessary order. Some think that strict marriage rules without private property will be most beneficial. Others think that private property without strict marriage rules will be most beneficial. Some of each of those often think their one element will lead "naturally" to the other, but get a sort of tunnel vision in the process. It would be a mistake to characterize all Democrats or all Republicans as one or the other of those "one element only" groups. The reality is quite a jumble.
At least a few people understand the necessity of strict marriage and private property in combination to yield good freedom and therefore good government. Others are learning from the debacle of the current presidential campaigns that the flaws in both parties regarding both critical elements will likely continue to spiral out of control.
Of course some people will see some foundation for strict marriage and private property in Judaism and by extension several denominations of Christianity, and especially in the "commandments," but religions of many kinds around the world, usually better than governments, promote a good and well rounded set of rules. Government and its supporters often begin to believe their own lies about freedom and have a tendency to focus on coercion, losing sight of good and true freedom.
By this analysis, if indeed marriage is no longer very strict and property is no longer very private, then there should be some alarm and some unified effort to correct matters. Yet gridlock appears with neither side willing to budge.
Not all atheists will admit it, but quite many of them do depend on government to manage all guidance having nowhere else to turn. Some of the people in the "Tea Party" are posers who don't really understand or believe in the "good" freedom and continue to give freedom a bad name, often deliberately, winning support for government. They will often quote Ronald Reagan saying that government is not the solution, but they don't have any other good solution themselves.
The number of people who think Donald Trump would be a great president is not especially high. If he wins though there will likely be even far less who say about his victory, "Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, we are free at last!" If you would say that or something like it contact, Opinion and Editorial , with your name and permission to use it, and prudence allowing, it will be put on this site. Names so far: None.
Some say that God doesn't call the perfect, he perfects the called. You can pray for something like that, but you'd better hurry. It still might appear that Trump doesn't represent any true god, that it's still government posing as an answer, and it's still not the answer.
Perhaps there is some serious mistake in thinking that you're "good" simply because your opponents are not. There is advice to both sides. It might be good time for yet some other plan. Thinking you're "good" simply because you have a military crew cut might not work either, especially now if it ever did. Very devout and moral Muslims and Jews can have long hair and beards. It's not the same world dynamic as before Ronald Reagan became president
Even these days with marriage meaning so little that homosexuals can truthfully claim theirs mean the "same," few would call having three marriages "good fortune," but it might be considered the best remedy to bad fortune if one did not himself cause the bad fortune. May Republicans and Democrats find better fortune.
At least a few of the people determined to solve the problem through government actually do believe in a god, but don't see how to convince others of a god. Perhaps they should be shown.