Freedom is the keyword that most fully expresses how the United States sees itself. But no one in the United States is free of government, let alone gravity or aging. Americans may claim to have something called freedom but it is not something that cannot be removed or reduced. It is not something that is not always under attack. If they have it, it is a tenuous possession. The United States has no succeeded in having freedom but how could it ever claim to have such an undefinable condition. In fact, freedom was always a two-edged sword. It has been as much a reason for America’s failure as it ever was for any success they think they have enjoyed.
