Do People Fear Freedom?

Do people fear freedom? I sometimes wonder. Most people, of course, don't mind freedom for themselves. But they tend to pause at allowing such freedom to be extended to others. Thus, everyone presumably champions how great free elections are. Yet when free elections in another country yields us Hezbolla, they suddenly aren't too hot to trot about free elections. Everyone presumably believes in free speech. Yet when that speech is not politically correct, such as criticism of Zionists, they suddenly aren't too hot to trot about allowing free speech.

Presumably, people believe that countries have a right to defend themselves, to supply themselves with weapons in the case of a need for defense. Yet when a foreign country seeks to do just that, people suddenly aren't too hot to trot about allowing countries self-defense. Presumably, people believe that everyone has a right to injest substances into their own bodies. Yet when moral and health questions arise, they suddenly aren't too hot to trot about allowing self-ownership.

Presumably, people believe that everyone has a right to exchange goods and services freely. Yet when they do not like a particular good or service, they push for it to be regulated or prohibited - they suddenly aren't too hot to trot about allowing a free market. Presumably, people believe that people have a right to not get killed. Yet when they don't like a particular group of people, they suddenly aren't to hot to trot about peace. Presumably, people believe in freedom. Yet when that freedom is in the hands of people they do not like, they want to cripple it at all costs.

In short, people believe in free elections until someone they don't like is elected. People believe in free speech until someone says something that they do not like. People believe in free exchange until someone makes an exchange they do not like. People believe in peace until there is a group of people that they do not like. What kind of freedom of that? None at all. It's entirely selective and hypocritical. They don't believe in freedom, they believe in "safety" for themselves. "Freedom" only applies to their personal needs and wants, and not to others. In this sense, people define their freedom by the denial of it to others.