Politics

Our Disappearing Freedom: Are We Celebrating Liberty or Our Own Demise?

by Brother Carlton 
07/04/25
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America was founded on the ideal of liberty. But today, beneath the patriotic songs, fireworks, and flag-waving, many are starting to ask a sobering question: Are we still free? Or are we simply celebrating a carefully managed illusion—one that masks the slow erosion of rights, truth, and independence?

Alexis de Tocqueville, the great French observer of early American life, once said:
“America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”
But what happens when “good” is redefined by power-hungry bureaucrats, global corporations, and propaganda-fed mobs?

Surveillance Nation: From License Plates to Facial Scans

The rise of mass surveillance in America is no longer subtle. License plate readers track our cars from state to state. Facial recognition technology watches us in airports, subways, and stores. Eye recognition is being tested at ATMs and banks, while artificial intelligence is scanning our online behavior.

This is not just about crime prevention. It’s about total control. The state is amassing a level of surveillance power that tyrants of the past could only dream about. We are constantly watched—by cameras, apps, devices, and increasingly, each other.

Censorship Disguised as Safety

YouTube, Facebook, Twitter (now X), and other platforms claim to be “private companies,” yet they routinely censor views deemed politically incorrect, “dangerous,” or “misleading.” This isn’t just private policy—it’s increasingly done at the behest of government agencies.

When you remove dissent, silence questioning voices, and throttle public debate, you’re not protecting democracy. You’re killing it. Many Americans—including pastors, doctors, and journalists—have been deplatformed or demonetized for speaking inconvenient truths.

The COVID Lie: Fear, Coercion, and Obedience

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed just how quickly Americans were willing to give up freedom in exchange for perceived safety. People were forced to wear masks, stay home, close their businesses, and later take an experimental injection—or lose their jobs.

Let’s be honest: the so-called “vaccine” was not a vaccine in the traditional sense. It was a gene-editing mRNA injection, rushed to market with zero long-term testing and pushed with threats and manipulation. Developed with ties to labs in Wuhan, China, and backed by globalist figures like Bill Gates, this shot has now been linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths and injuries worldwide. And yet, around 70% of Americans took it without question.

Why? Because fear was weaponized. And critical thinking was silenced.

Jefferson Was Right: The Government That Governs Least Governs Best

Thomas Jefferson said,
“That government is best which governs least.”
But today’s government governs everything. From what kind of stove you can buy to how you run your small business, government rules and red tape now extend into nearly every area of life.

Democrats tend to push more taxes, regulations, and mandates in the name of equity, climate, and safety. Republicans talk about freedom, but they rarely shrink the size of government when they’re in power. They push military spending, foreign wars, and surveillance under the banner of “security.”

Both parties, in truth, have been bought. Controlled opposition. They give us a show, but the outcome is already decided. Special interests pull the strings, while the American people pay the bill.

The Hidden Cost of Property Ownership

We say we own our homes, but if we don’t pay our property taxes, the government will seize our land. That’s not ownership—it’s rent under a different name. Seniors are losing homes they paid off decades ago simply because they can’t keep up with these taxes.

Then add to that DMV registration fees, smog checks, driver’s licenses, building permits, and zoning restrictions. You must ask permission (and pay for it) to plant trees, put up a shed, or dig a well on your own land. Is this freedom?

A Nation of Taxes, Fees, and Fines

Americans are taxed in every possible way:

Federal income tax
State income tax
Social Security tax
Medicare tax
Property tax
Sales tax
Gas tax
Vehicle registration
Capital gains tax
Inheritance tax
Estate tax
Utility tax
Internet tax
Cable tax
Cell phone tax
Toll road fees
Business licenses
Environmental fees
Alcohol tax
Cigarette tax
Hotel tax
Airline ticket tax
Import duties
Firearm fees
Fishing and hunting licenses
Inflation (which acts as a stealth tax on savings)
Banking and transaction fees
Health insurance penalties (Obamacare individual mandate)
Parking fines, traffic tickets, and administrative court fees

And we haven’t even mentioned the time cost, the regulatory cost, and the psychological weight of constantly walking a financial tightrope.

Mass Media: Owned, Scripted, Controlled

If you’re wondering why so many people go along with all of this, look no further than the media. Roughly 90% of U.S. media outlets are owned by just a handful of corporations:
Comcast (NBC, MSNBC), Disney (ABC, ESPN), Warner Bros. Discovery (CNN), Paramount (CBS), and Fox Corporation.

These conglomerates shape the news, entertainment, and even the commercials. They decide what’s “normal,” what’s “off-limits,” and what gets erased.

Are these God-fearing truth-seekers? Hardly. They promote secularism, materialism, globalism, and increasingly anti-Christian values. Many journalists today are activists with press badges, pushing narratives instead of uncovering facts.

Churches Muzzled by the State

Once a moral compass, many American churches have gone silent. Why? Because of the 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and the Johnson Amendment of 1954, which forbids churches from endorsing candidates or speaking freely about politics.

In effect, pastors have been bought off. Their silence is the price of their exemption. They preach smooth messages that won’t upset donors or auditors. But silence in the face of tyranny is not neutrality—it’s complicity.

Too many pastors today fear the government more than they fear God. They avoid uncomfortable truths, refuse to challenge evil, and hide behind misused verses like “submit to the governing authorities,” while ignoring God’s command to “speak the truth boldly.”

Controlled Opposition, Mass Compliance, and Willing Slaves

The sad truth is that many Americans prefer the illusion of freedom to the hard truth of its loss. They accept censorship, taxation, and surveillance because they still have creature comforts. They obey because it's easier than resisting.

They took the shot. They stayed silent. They turned in their neighbors. They swallowed the media narrative. Why? Because critical thinking has been replaced with mass programming—through TV, movies, smartphones, and schools.

Too many people would rather be safe slaves than dangerous free men.

Ask Yourself: What Are We Celebrating?

Every Fourth of July, we celebrate independence. But are we truly independent anymore? Or have we become so dependent on the government, so addicted to comfort, and so afraid of truth, that we now cheer for our own servitude?

We still have many freedoms—but how many people would die for them today? Not many. The generation that stormed Normandy is gone. In its place is a culture obsessed with feelings, comfort, and conformity.

Ask yourself: Why are we celebrating? Are we honoring the spirit of 1776—or mocking it? Are we declaring liberty—or disguising our chains with fireworks and hot dogs?

It’s Not Too Late—But It’s Getting Close

If America is to remain free, we must wake up. We must speak out. We must reclaim the courage to challenge lies, resist tyranny, and honor God above government.

Freedom isn’t something the state grants—it’s something we were born with. But if we do not guard it, fight for it, and be willing to suffer for it, it will be taken.

As Ronald Reagan once warned:
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”

Let’s not be the generation that let it die.

Brother Carlton ministers the gospel to various cities. Formerly a Hollywood actor, SAG member, and property cleanup expert, he now spends most of his time studying the Scriptures and helping small businesses grow more profitably using world-class tactics and strategies. He also offers inspirational speaking to help entrepreneurs and individuals achieve greater success. If you're a business owner looking to increase revenue, attract more customers, or need a dynamic speaker for your next event, contact Carlton at [email protected].  Put help in the subject line.