Liberty IS Free!
Our world faces a weeds problem. Nature's insurance against the Void. We have allowed our societies to be overcome by Fear & Strife, all because we are afraid to BE our True Selves.
'Freedom isn't Free', remember that post 9-11 slogan? 'Freedom from' is the grammatical phrase, juxtaposed with 'at liberty' or 'at liberty to'. Words are important. Details matter. A focus on freedom brought us a worldwide arms race, never-ending wars (or MOOTW). Liberty, however, gave us the American Declaration of Independence. Our Founders wrote of 'inalienable rights', endowed on every human being by our Creator. Rights can only be taken away by their original grantor, no? This is why a belief in the Divine Principle is essential to the exercise of Liberty.
'Freedom', in today's usage, entails a demand for privileges from a 'higher' power, that is to say, an earthly governing body. Our Founders were not writing idealistically in stating 'inalienable', rather this was (is, and ever shall be) a hard fact. One is always 'at liberty' or 'sovereign' under Divine Law, any real or apparent loss of liberty being wholly in accordance with the Creator's fiat.
The American War for Independence (termed the 'American Revolution' by certain colonial powers) was not a 'revolt' as so many other historical political changes have been. The men & women behind our country believed that all earthly institutions must ultimately answer to a Higher Law. The Declaration was so inflammatory to the English monarchy NOT as a rescinding of the consent of the governed, but because it represented a bold recognition of the falsehood of the Divine mandate to rule based solely upon materialistic (bloodline/birthright) factors. Even more 'troublesome' was the assertion that each human being is entirely sovereign, intrinsically so. This fact, while perhaps concealed by our own ignorance at times, is eternally True.
We were born as a nation wary of titles due to these views on sovereignty. The American Dream was to be free to exercise one's personal relationship with Reality, not freedom to rise in the ranks of those pretending to be unsovereign. Liberty implies an Inner Compass that ever guides us clear of the crags & shores of True Law. Freedom asks permission to break man's laws. There is truly only one Power in the universe, all appearances to the contrary simply representing co-options thereof.
We must 'take our liberties' out from under our bushels and become confident to Be authentic, yet kind. We are always at liberty to be kind, understanding, Christ-like. Christ took the liberty of surrendering His material freedom. As we meditate & reflect on the Higher meaning of that dramatic act, we shall ever find our Liberty in (Divine) Law. Liberty is a Free Gift of Divine Grace, let us never forget nor obscure this Truth!