America and the price of freedom

THE EDITOR, Sir:

WITH RESPECT to the recent occurrences in the US, I have been hearing not only expressions of horror at the attacks on the US, but also questions of what purpose will it serve to retaliate.

Anyone who really wants an answer to this question must try to understand what makes Americans who they are.

Ever since the first settlers from Europe reached the North American continent, they have been fighting to maintain two related values, freedom from coercion and freedom of action, after all that's why they left Europe. For a comprehensive understanding of this value system, one should read the book, The Constitution of Liberty, by F.A. Hayek. The book defines freedom as 'the condition of man in which coercion of some by others is reduced as much as possible in society.

On September 11, 2001, the US was in a state of being unfree, the likes of which they have not felt in over 50 years. The last time they felt this unfree they dropped an atomic bomb on a country in retaliation. The US did not get to its present status in the world by turning the other cheek and allowing the core of its value system to be trampled upon. As long as the US continues to exist, the world will have to understand and adapt to its value system. To ask America not to retaliate would be like asking Jamaica to give up or denounce reggae.

For the US, retaliation is the only logical way to move towards reducing the feeling of being coerced by others. Just as the terrorists were willing to give their lives for their belief, so is the US willing to risk the loss of life in the defence of their belief.

I am etc.,

PETER MYERS

cabinetoffice@excite.com

Via Go-Jamaica

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