Freedom Wings

Lincoln E. Steed May/June 2007
Benjamin Franklin knew a lot about kites and electricity. And he wrote enough pithy sayings to forever confuse them in the mind of the Biblical speed reader with Solomon's opus. But he has come to occupy the comedian's end of the Audubon spectrum for his promotion of the Turkey for National Bird. I still remember the almost testosterone thrill that went through the construction crew on my summer job a few decades ago each time the boss announced that the eagle was about to fly. Shakespeare aside, I don't think a dollar by any other name would fly. What was Ben thinking of? Not F16s and the projection of power, I'll warrant.

Gauging the national mood is always an inexact science. They say that elections do it well; but when only a minority of a population actually votes the result can be less than definitive. I'll admit to gleaning some of my benchmark opinions about public mood from such things as supermarket checkout-counter publications, what people are watching on the TVs in auto sales showrooms, and what the callers are offering on talk radio. ."


And let me tell you, the talons are out. This bird of pray(sic) is ready to stretch its wings a bit and do what eagles are supposed to do. After all, it's the American way. The way God meant it to be!

Excuse my note of irony, but I have to inject some, since those same sentiments as I've been hearing them on talk radio don't carry anything but certainty.

Every week Liberty hosts a one hour radio program aired on Sirius satellite radio. We call it Life Quest Liberty. The topics are varied. The response also varies with the topic. However things came alive last week when we discussed pacifism and the right to be a conscientious objector to war. I was surprised by two things. First and happily there was no particular animosity to conscientious objectors—mostly I fear because they have become invisible if not absent. The second surprise was the easy acceptance of the notion that any war we wage is just and is the natural right of a Christian nation. In fact it was said that we are fulfilling God's will for our national destiny this way.

There is a naivet
Article Author: Lincoln E. Steed

Lincoln E. Steed is the editor of Liberty magazine, a 200,000 circulation religious liberty journal which is distributed to political leaders, judiciary, lawyers and other thought leaders in North America. He is additionally the host of the weekly 3ABN television show "The Liberty Insider," and the radio program "Lifequest Liberty."