BY LEAH VUKMIR, FORMER LAWMAKER, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF STATE AFFAIRS, NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION
I was 14 when I first felt – deep in my gut – that freedom isn’t just an idea; it is something that can vanish if it isn’t vigilantly protected.
In the summer of 1972, my mother, grandfather and I traveled to Greece, the country my father and grandfather left behind in search of a better life in America. At the time, Greece was under a military dictatorship that had come to power in a 1967 coup. I didn’t fully grasp what that meant until I saw it for myself.
After we arrived at a relative’s apartment, my grandfather, a lover of politics, began discussing the government with his nephew in Greek. Immediately, the mood shifted. His nephew grew visibly anxious, gesturing for him to stop. Within minutes, the younger man hurried us out of the apartment, into his car, and drove us away without explanation. Even then, my grandfather tried to resume the conversation. Again, he was silenced.
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It wasn’t until we were walking along the beach, far from the apartment, that his nephew finally spoke freely. He explained that he was afraid to talk about politics – that it might be monitored or someone might report him. Speaking openly about the government could bring consequences.
I remember being stunned. In America, debate was normal. Disagreement wasn’t dangerous. The idea that someone would fear their own words inside their own home was almost unimaginable to me.
That moment never left me. It shapes how I think about liberty – not as something granted by government, but as inherent to each of us. America’s founders understood our rights come not from those in power, but from our Creator, and government’s role is to protect those rights, not control them.
As America approaches 250, I think of that day often. Freedom is fragile, and preserving it is an obligation we ignore at our peril.
