What does it mean to be free? Freedom is an idea that many countries have struggled with for generations. Each with their own idea as to what it means to be free. Do any really stop to consider what freedom really is?
Personally, I believe freedom to mean having the natural right to live your life as you see fit. Like many people, I find immense pleasure in spending my free time with my family. Recreational activities like camping, fishing, hiking, and identifying and consuming wild edibles, are all things that I enjoy doing. But am I truly free to do these activities? The answer is a resounding NO!!
In New York State, there are countless rules and regulations that dictate when, where, and how a civilian can do something, anything. I am not free to fish without a fishing license, even if I am only doing so for personal pleasure. Anything I catch is almost immediately thrown back...well, maybe after a minute or two of fiddling with the hook if the fish was a bit too greedy.
I am not free to hunt, not that I have ever gone hunting...but even if I did decide to do so, NY has countless regulations dictating when, where, and what I can hunt, or hunt with. These regulations are in place, they say, to protect other hunters, children, and the wildlife population in the area. All of which is complete nonsense. The only purpose for licensing someone to hunt is to maintain a certain degree of control over that individual. So when that person steps out of line, or fails to comply for whatever reason, you can revoke that license, and punish the offender.
Hiking would seem like it would be the freest of all recreational activities, but is that really the case? In NYS, there are, again, countless regulations dictating where a person can hike, what kind of activities you can do while hiking, the kinds of tools you can carry with you for protection, even how long you can enjoy this activity personally. Many parks are open from sunrise to sunset, so if you were looking to enjoy a little twilight hike, you're out of luck.
Finally, identifying and consuming wild edibles. Surely this must be the one activity that is free from any kind of government regulation. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. In State Parks throughout NYS, there are, again, countless regulations dictating what can and cannot be picked. Anything growing in a State Park should ultimately be the property of the residents of that state. However, we see signs everywhere reminding us that we need to leave nature exactly as we had found it. We are forbidden from picking wild edibles, and enjoying the high level of sustenance provided by these “weeds”. Of course, when I am out on a random trail, far from the prying eyes of Big Brother, I have no reservations about picking and enjoying some lamb’s quarters, wood sorrels, or even wild raspberries and blackberries.
Freedom, in my mind, is simple. Live and let live. Human-beings should be free to enjoy “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”, without worrying about what government regulations they are in direct violation of. The same holds true regardless of color, creed, or country. What someone is free to do in North America, they should also be free to do in North Korea. Governments, while establishing freedom, all too often hinder the same freedom they hope to protect. So, are we free, and if not, how do we free ourselves?