We’ve lately been having a discussion in this country about freedom, and an old friend from “across the pond” had a few thoughts on the matter.

I exercised some freedom today.

At about midday, I took one of the PA’s from my office to the bookies as she wanted to lay a bet on the Football (yeah yeah, soccer) and had never been in a betting shop before. Learning how to place a bet is almost a rite of passage

in the UK. Bookies are very intimidating if you don’t have a clue how it all works and, apart from Grand National day, no-one is there to help. You either know it or you don’t. Hence I went along to explain the magic of accumulators and doubles from three. Whilst in there, I had a little punt on a horse race and ended up losing a fiver – such is life.

I’m no expert on the US but friends who have spent time across the pond suggest that laying a bet in most states of the US is slightly more complex than popping across the road. Conversely, I expect a visitor to the UK from the US would find it very odd that the only way to get a gun in the UK is either jump through hoops with the Government to (maybe) get a shotgun license or else head off to the black market.

Ah freedom and your different flavours. As a result, it always worries me when you hear someone banging on about protecting your freedom as no-one can define what freedom means universally . I’m glad I’ve got the freedom to waste my hard earned money on a broken down nag in the 12.50 at Kempton. I don’t have the freedom to own a gun but, to be honest, I don’t want to.

I’m glad I’ve got the freedom to choose to get private healthcare if I want to pay for it. Christ, I work for a company that provides private healthcare insurance. But I’m also glad that, whenever I need it, I have whatever healthcare I need free at the point of delivery. Yeah, no-one makes any money out of the NHS, which I suppose means the private sectors freedom to profit is reduced, but it gives the population of the UK the freedom not to worry about how much it will cost to fall ill.

Whenever you hear someone saying they are protecting freedom I feel it’s appropriate to put your hand up and politely ask whose freedom they are protecting.

~Wootsie

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