“We all change the world in ways we may never know. Every life makes a difference. The more we understand the value of every human being, the more we will understand the value of freedom. The fight to save freedom begins with us as individuals.” – U.S. Senator Jim Demint

It has been a little over a month now but Wendy and I had the opportunity to attend an event called “The Living Vigil” at the Metropolitan Community Church in NE Portland. I was invited by a friend I had met through Toastmasters. He was to give a speech as part of the event and I wanted to support him. I figured, as a conservative, that we would probably not fit in with the crowd that night but was also curious to see and learn more about the issues surrounding HIV and the concerns of the people there representing the various communities.

The reason I mention this is because I came away thinking that these folks have figured out how to permanently defeat HIV in their community. Instead of hearing about what the government isn’t doing, or should be doing, I heard a very different theme. Speaker after speaker, I heard stories of individuals and their personal struggles which I expected. What I did not expect was to hear a theme of personal responsibility and accountability to each other. Not only make the healthy choices for yourself, but reach out to others and encourage them to do the same. Ask the tough questions of the people around you. The most powerful statement of the night to me was from one of the speakers named Ben, “We have the knowledge and we have the medicine now to control HIV, now it is up to us.”

When he said that, I thought brother, you are spot on. Literally, the battle to eradicate HIV is a fight to save lives but the same principle applies to our economy and jobs. We cannot allow ourselves to become dependent on the government for all the answers. Only by standing strong as free individuals can we then join together to make the country work. By becoming dependent on government, we lose the will to achieve and make the world a better place. Dependent on the government, we lose our souls in an inwardly looking spiral that only considers what is in it for me. Instead, by taking responsibility for our own actions while focusing outwardly and caring for the best interests of others too, a group of strong individuals can overcome anything from HIV to unemployment.

It was a powerful message. I am glad that we were able to meet with everyone and be a part of the meeting. It was sad to hear of all the loss but at the same time, I was uplifted by the message that I heard.

The benefits of individualism are often unseen. If you require someone else to provide you a life preserver, how will you be able to swim out and save someone? If you can swim on your own, you are not only less likely to drown in an unexpected flood, but you will be in a position to help others too…and without assistance needed. So why would we put policies in place, across the spectrum of issues, that encourage people to be dependent? That is not a principle our country was founded on, and that’s why I resist government intervention into my life. Society is much stronger when we all stand together as strong and capable individuals.

We are all in this together, and we are still free to choose what path we want to head as a country.

I hope you join me in the resistance to government dependence.