Liberalism is about opportunity. It's about being able to do what you want to do, when you want to do it and how you want to do it. By saying "you" it is clear that liberalism is about the individual. Citizens get individual identity and passport numbers, individual bank accounts and personal possessions. So it is only fitting that individuals get individual rights and freedoms. It is true that no person is an island, but is also true that groups of people are in fact groups of individual persons.

 

From this it is clear that while you might share clothing with a family member, when your shirt is on your back, it is your shirt. The right to own things and to have that property respected as your own property is important. As an example no-one wants to work really hard to grow vegetables in their garden, and then have their vegetables stolen.

 

This extends to being able to demand that your personal rights are respected. So that nobody can steal your identity, nobody can steal your qualifications and nobody can steal your dreams. You are as an individual free to pursue your own ambitions and objectives, without interference or harassment.

 

This in a nutshell is the basis of liberty and of the belief in liberty, called liberalism. However far too many people in the world have other people telling them what to do and other people dictating how they should proceed in their lives. This interference may be acceptable in a conservative environment but within a liberal environment, it is wholly unacceptable.

 

So in choosing an environment to grow, nurture and raise your family; consider that true liberty allows you develop without interference while other options allow someone else to decide for you. Choose Your Future! Choose Your Freedom! Choose Your Life! Choose True Liberty! Choose Liberalism and Be Really Free!

 

20 October 2007 - Young Liberals of Southern Africa

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Avishkar Govender

eThekwini-Durban
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
SADC - AU