It’s been almost a year and a half since the word freedom made its sudden transition from side dish to centerpiece at the table of American political discourse. Before the destruction of the World Trade Center, you could expect to hear about freedom several times a year, usually in heavily ritualized contexts: on the Fourth of July, and on Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day, and again on Thanksgiving. Young children are usually puzzled to hear the President haul freedom into the proceedings at Christmastime, but presidents are always anxious to play the risk-free freedom card and have always had good luck piggybacking Lady Liberty onto baby Jesus. It is generally conceded by American politicians that there is no amount of weight which the baby Jesus cannot or will not cheerfully bear. |