True Freedom Honors the Common Good

America celebrates its birthday on July 4, and fireworks will light up the sky throughout the nation.

American flags will fly everywhere as a tribute to independence and the "land of the free and home of the brave".

As the fireworks light the sky and flags fly proudly across our homeland, America is reminded to focus on its destiny — a light of democracy, freedom, and liberty for the world.

Troubling Times in America

Despite our imperfections and the crisis of the virus, America has much to celebrate compared to the war, conflict, violence, and the violation of human rights taking place internationally.

Yet, we currently have significant problems of violence, racism, police-community division, and the heartbreak inflicted by the virus.

America’s Hallowed Principles

As affirmed by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assembly, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The five freedoms expressed in this amendment are sacred to Americans as they form the rock foundation of democracy and liberty.

As we honor our independence on the Fourth of July, we celebrate these freedoms that are the heart of America’s legacy.

Our freedoms are front and center at the nation’s greatest debates. But, as the virus crisis intensifies with no end in sight, we must be mindful that true freedom has the responsibility of doing what is right morally and ethically, not only for ourselves but for society. We must do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

Due to the current national emergency, the call of our times is to protect the common good. We do have personal freedoms, but, our freedom must never violate the rights of others.

Freedom, properly understood - must always honor the health, safety, and welfare of our neighbor, and their rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Freedom Demands Justice for Others

To better understand the response necessary to our current public safety crisis, we must review the timeless wisdom of Thomas Aquinas on justice as memorialized in his Summa Theologiae.

Aquinas teaches that the human person is inherently relational, and our actions impact others.

Every act is relational and must be guided by the moral principles of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.

Specifically, justice demands that we render each one in society what they are due by the natural law, and civil law.

Justice is a virtue due to others. It expresses itself by honoring the security and safety of each person, all of whom have a legitimate right to justice.

The seat of justice is in the will, but it must be expressed through action, and it must never be violated by selfishness, ignorance, pride, or arrogance.

Justice is expressed through respect, humility, and honoring the rights of our neighbors.

Final Reflections

We must abide by the demands of our national emergency, and practice without compromise - social distancing, avoiding contact, personal hygiene, and wearing masks. This is a matter of justice, one of the moral principles critical to society.

The emotional spectrum of the hot-button health crisis will continue for the foreseeable future. Many see the virus issues as a protection of freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment.

But, we must have in thought, word, and action, that the common good and public safety is paramount, and inseparable from true freedom. A unity of effort throughout America, respecting the principles of justice, is mission critical to remedy the crisis.

We must vigilantly abide by medical professional guidelines to protect ourselves, families, neighbors, communities, and our nation, and we must live by justice without compromise.

Related Coverage:

National Emergency: Coronavirus Disease Demands Crisis Management Principles

PS: This article was modified for the law enforcement community and published in The Chief of Police, Summer Edition 2020, Vol. XXXVII / Number 2. The magazine was distributed via hard copy to police chiefs and law enforcement executives nationwide.

Photo's

American Flags at the West Side Entrance of Grand Central Terminal on 42nd Street. (Vincent J. Bove)

Vincent J. Bove, CPP, is a national speaker and author of 275 published works on issues critical to America. Bove is recipient of the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award, and is former confident of the New York Yankees. He served as spokesperson for a coalition of victim’s families of the Virginia Tech tragedy. His most recent books are Reawakening America and Listen To Their Cries.

For more information: vincentbove.com or twitter @vincentjbove