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Judge Loyd Wright Discusses Freedom and Why He's a Proud American with Aubrey AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What does freedom mean to you? JUDGE LOYD WRIGHT: Any discussion of freedom begins with paying homage to the brave men and women who fought and died to preserve our freedom and liberate others from tyranny and oppression around the world. These courageous men and women selflessly gave life and limb for country and freedom. The best way to honor them is for us to preserve and protect the very freedoms and values for which they so willingly gave everything. In simplest terms, freedom means the right to live as we choose so long as we don't hurt others or their property. It means the right to make our own decisions knowing that the consequences of those decisions are ours alone. The exercise of our freedoms ideally contemplates every individual’s inner struggle to be their "better self", to listen to the "better angels of our nature”. While in our imperfect world this does not always occur, we realize that living in a free society is worth the cost. What meaning would life have without the freedom to chart our own destiny and to live as we choose? As Ben Franklin said, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve nei-
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ther liberty nor safety.” One of my favorite movies is "The Alamo" where John Wayne (as Davy Crockett) makes the following speech: "…… When I come down here to Texas, I was looking for something. I didn’t know what. Seems like you added up my life and I spent it all either stomping other men or, in some cases, getting stomped. Had me some money and had me some medals. But none of it seemed a lifetime worth of the pain of the mother that bore me. It was like I was empty. Well, I’m not empty anymore. That’s what’s important, to feel useful in this old world, to hit a lick against what’s wrong or to say a word for what’s right even though you get walloped for saying that word. Now I may sound like a Bible beater yelling up a revival at a river crossing camp meeting, but that don’t change the truth none. There’s right and there’s wrong. You got to do one or the other. You do the one and you’re living. You do the other and you may be walking around, but you’re dead as a beaver hat." Now I know Davy didn't make that speech, but the inspiring words remind me of the struggle for freedom and the rugged individualism that defined this country and the great State of Texas. They describe the ideal of how to exercise our freedoms - to always strive to "do the right thing". They embody a spirit in this country I hope we never lose. We must be ever vigilant in protecting our freedoms. As Ronald Reagan said: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend