Freedom Is Not Free, these words are inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC and may also be found on magnetic ribbons adorning many a passing auto these days. As the son of a Korean War veteran, I recognize and appreciate the sentiment conveyed in this expression. I recognize and appreciate the risks and sacrifices endured by those who serve in the cause of freedom and democracy. I recognize and appreciate that one must not take such things for granted or minimize their value. (As the poet and philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote in his poem, Boston: “For what avail the plow or sail / Or land or life, if freedom fail?�) I recognize and appreciate that freedom and democracy, whether at home or abroad, frequently cannot be attained or maintained without struggle and expense. I recognize and appreciate that the freedoms I possess by virtue of being an American are denied and, therefore, coveted by millions around the globe, including many in Iraq and Afghanistan. I recognize and appreciate all of these things and more…

I recognize and appreciate that the tree of liberty, whose shade and fruits I presently enjoy, requires certain conditions for transplantation and growth. I recognize and appreciate, painfully so, that these conditions may not always exist in those places where—or at those times when—one might wish to plant and that to plant in spite of such is an act of disrespect or foolishness and invites failure. I recognize and appreciate that, when it comes to striving for freedom and democracy, sometimes the cost is too great! Just as one must accept the limitations of the land, one must similarly accept the oft-harsh realities that constrain human ambition and existence. I recognize and appreciate that—to quote the great journalist, Edward R. Murrow—“we cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.� Yet, arguably, in this post-9/11 world, our leaders have in some fashion done so. I, therefore, recognize and appreciate that the fight for freedom begins at home and must periodically be fought anew. As the 19th century abolitionist, Wendell Phillips, sagely noted: “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.�

So, yes, freedom is not free. But the meaning of this oft-quoted maxim, which ought not be uttered lightly, is open to interpretation.