Two of our most cherished gifts are freedom and our rights. Freedom comes with the price of human blood and rights come with responsibilities. We tend to forget the second one.

Freedom does not mean to simply do whatever you want, whenever, wherever and how ever you want. Freedom does not mean to live uninhibited without regard for the common good. People are quick to say, “I know my rights,” but what about your responsibilities? Should we have a sense of obligation to something larger than our personal desires?

Among us are those willing to erode the norms of society in the name of personal rights and in the absence of sound judgment and common sense. Motivated by self interests, they have forgotten about the common good. I believe personal liberties and sound judgment should always walk hand-in-hand.

This is true for those who walk among us in public places with the legal right to carry firearms. It doesn’t matter if they are trained to use these weapons or not, they create anxiety.

 I have absolutely nothing against gun ownership, but firearms in the hands of the untrained pose an increased threat to the rest of us. In addition, it becomes more difficult for law enforcement officers and security personnel to do their jobs when everybody is strapped, legally or illegally, and taking guns where guns don’t need to be, just to prove a point or exercise a right.

Sometimes, common sense dictates that individual expression and exercise of rights are not always in order. We must learn to think beyond self-interests.

It’s not always about what we can do, but what we should do. Boundaries and regulations can be beneficial. Try raising children or driving across town without any. While our rights must be respected and protected, we must not allow our individuality to become a nuisance or set the stage for chaos down the road.

Rights should never trump common sense or common courtesy, for that matter.

Debra Anderson

Jackson