1
Of course we are free, just like many others countries, we are free to do as we wish, with the proviso that we do not break the law, of the land. Now there's thing, what is the 'Law of the Land'? How would I know, I only live here, and I find it very confusing.2
Our Nation started as a place where England could send its unwanted sons and daughters to empty the jails in the mother country and thus avoid the cost of feeding or burying its criminals.3
Mind you many of those transported had stolen half a loaf of bread to stay alive. However the powers that ran the motherland at that time considered them the most heinous of criminals.4
The really bad guys were simply hung in the square as entertainment for the people.5
So we have as the nucleus of our great nation , convicted criminals and those who were sent to guard them. Had to have someone or those criminals would have had the run of our country from day one. History tells us that the guards were no better than the convicts and made use of their powers for their own personal advantage and pleasure, often very sadistic pleasures at that.6
Time and tide changed and soon Australia was a burgeoning agricultural place where wealth could be gained easily from gold fields and farming practices. Now we entered another phase in the development of our free nation. The second sons of the British aristocracy were sent out here to grab some land and become wealthy pastoralists. Whoa there, what happened to the first sons? Well, it seems the first sons were educated to inherit the Aristocracy from dear old dad when he kicked the bucket and could not be permitted to lower the family by becoming one of those '' Colonials".7
Now where are we? Ah - Yeah. Now we are back to square one. The aristocracy with the money and the land and the convicts. Many served their time and stayed here. They were free here. Anyway, they had no money to pay their fare back to merry England, so they stayed. How nice for them. They could be servants, tradesmen, or "Selectors". Servants were as free as their masters allowed them to be, which wasn't free at all, tradesmen were free as long as they did what their employers told them to do, and "selectors" were free to starve to death if their farms didn't feed them. Selectors were those unfortunate souls who believed the blurb put out by the Govt of the day that 160 acres of land was sufficient to make a good living possible. The fact of the matter is that in a drought ravaged country such as this the poor 'selector had two chances of being a success: Buckley's and none. 8
Notice how often the word 'free' comes up. Up until about this time in history the only free residents in Australia were the outback aboriginals who hadn't yet met the white man, and the Governors who were free to be sent back to their homeland when they upset some impractical unproductive scheme dreamed up by some ratbag in Britain. Ah yes, this is definitely the land of the free.9
But I digress once more, our great nation does have a free society. We are permitted to think freely, speak freely and act freely as long as we do not break, bend, twist , tweek or otherwise abuse the laws of our land about which we know very little. We are free. [ I think what that really means is we are NOT locked in a cell] We can access every law ever passed in this country through the Govt Gazette for our own edification and learning. For instance: If your horse is a bit stroppy when you go to town you can ask a policeman to hold him while you go shopping at the general store. Said policeman must comply with your request. This is 2009, who has a bloody horse these days? Anyway I would not ask one of our trigger happy cops to mind my nag, he'd probably shoot it and charge me for 'affray' or something.10
Damn, I am up to the present day already and we are about as free as a convicted criminal in a high security prison. I must have missed something back there.11
comments ?
Comments
1 - 8 of 8
-
Great Essay
The question What is freedom. Is it freedom to do as we are told? What are our options. We cannot fly without a plane. We cannot break the law. And who decides the law. Why it's the legislater who is well paid by the wealthy citizens. They have made a lot of money so they know how to do some things well. But do they have our best interests at heart or do they just make laws convenient for themselves? That is my question.
-
-
The questions are really unanswerable. Yet, we have a measure of freedom that is considerably greater than many other countries and cultures. I am thankful for the freedoms I have and shall say no more. But I would dearly love our politicians and lawmakers to be open and honest.
Thank you for visiting my friend.
-
-
An interesting look into your country and it's laws. I learn something new everytime i read one of your postings. Suffice to say that we Americans oftentimes take our freedom for granted. We tend to forget that freedom is not free, there are those who are fighting so that we can be free--but, as any school kid these days and even some adults and they don't know much about what is going on in the world around them.
People tend to more attention to what celebrities are doing or not. And fixate on the most mundune and unimportant issues of the day rather than to learn more about their country, what their leaders should be doing and aren't and what is going on in the world in general and how it may apply to us as a nation.
PETA an animal rights group chastised the American President for swatting and killing a fly! When the issue of the day should have been whether or not we might go to war with Korea because, it claims to have nuclear arms which they may use against us. Makes me wonder what it is that we really think of? Or if we do at all.
Always a pleasure to read what you write.
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
-
-
Thank you for your comments dear lady. This was written with a bit of sarcasm in it. We will never be completely free as that state of ecstasy does not exist. We have much more freedom than I have stated in my rant. But we do need to take notice of what's going on in the rest of the world. As far as Korea is concerned, I really don't give a damn if they have nuclear bombs or not. The UK, France, India, Pakistan, china, the USA and Russia all have nuclear weapons. If they are outlawed then who is going to be the first to disarm theirs. As far as korea maybe using their Bombs against the USA, maybe any of the other countries may [?] use their stuff on anyone else. Just bloody scare tactics from The very top of the USA's political propaganda machine. We, who have freedom to write as I have done, should be grateful for what we do have.
I do rave and rant, don't I?
-
-
I like the wry irony of this piece Bob
The law abiding people are free and yet they're not free. (The same thing goes in this country of mine (the motherland))
The only "free" people today are those with money and those who actually break the law. I don't know about Australia, but break the law in England and you're looked after far beter than the present day pensioner who actually risked their life fighting for the very freedom every law-abiding soul craves.
Once again, you do justice with the printed word my friend.
PS: Would you like a few more undesirables
?
We've got 634 Members of Parliament, plus hangers on you can have - FREE of charge
-
-
Thank you for most generous offer of more Mp's to populate our large lightly settled land. May I decline, with thanks. We have sufficient of those people here already. Let us not compare the status of pensioners with lawbreakers. I am a pensioner and I have always wondered why those who are incarcerated for criminal acts have the very latest in digital color TV while I stagger along with my analog. I do get three meals a day,I have shelter from the elements, and a safe place to live, therefore I am thankful, as there many who do not have any of the above in our world.
Freedom is a word with a multitude of meanings, depending on the current circumstances of each individual.
We are free to a certain extent, we must be content with that, unless we can improve the situation for so many many others.
Enjoy your freedom. Thanks you for your visitand for your enlightening comments.
-
-
With progress and change there are wondrous events to behold. In the history of the American west as citizen of the overpopulated east fled west for survival it wasn't long until their nightmares followed law, order, and the pursuit of the wealth gatherers happiness. Guess it's the same everywhere. Another well stated point of view Bob.
Happy trails.
-
-
Thank you for your addition to my ranting. I am fully aware that we are relatively free, and I appreciate that freedom. But there are times when that freedom is overstated by the pollies.
I know it's pretty much the same in most developed countries. I guess we should be thankful for what we have, even if we are striving for something a little better.
-
Adding your comment:
1 - 8 of 8
