Freedom is a funny thing.  Our concept of government is based upon it.  Our maturation into adults depends on our seeking it.  Our imagination derives from it.  We are Americans because we believe in it.  But it is increasingly clear, that freedom is becoming a tool - not an natural right.  

The Obama Passport problem brings up a host of numerous issues, but at its core, it deals with freedom, and the subtle shades of freedom's abuse.   In particular, we see its use as a political ploy, its violation by those in power, and its undermining by the excuse of vetting.

The Obama Passport controversy is starting to make its way across the internet and airwaves and it should be unsettling to most.  While we fret over its political implications, I'm more concerned with its underlying message.  While not obvious, it relates to the government's ability to monitor our private lives in ways we only think of, but don't really know exactly.  We trust that our government will protect something as valuable as our Passport (which carries with it our Social Security Number, our travels, our reasons for travel if a visa is needed) and that it will protect them from prying eyes.  But if anything, Obama's Passport problem is telling us we can't trust them.  It attacks the private nature of freedom.  Why we want to be free is to be away from forces telling us what to do, so we may do what we want.  On that level alone, its bad.  But on the level of a possible Presidential Nominee?  That is horrible. 

We are also seeing freedom abused as a political ploy.  At the heart of the 3AM ad, almost every Bush Fear Mongering speech, and the attacks on patriotism against Obama is the underlying message that if Obama is POTUS, our freedom will be compromised.  On so many levels, this can't be true - but because it threatens are very valuation of freedom, many Americans believe it.  But examination of the inalienable right of freedom reveals that it is not something that is that easily thrown away.  The foundation of our nation is built upon the resolute absoluteness of freedom.  It is not easily changed or taken away.  So the argument, that freedom is challenged by the nomination of one President is horrible on many levels, but philosophically is without merit.  But that's not what politicians will have you believe - they want us to internalize the thought that attacks by terrorists compromise our way of life.  It doesn't.  Freedom isn't that maleable, and using it for political gains in this manner should be an insult to any American.

The last abuse that I want to mention is how we excuse each candidate's freedom to associate and think as vetting.  As Americans, we love to say, "That's none of your business."  But conveniently, things not necessarily important to public service have come front and center, with claims that it speaks to the "character" and "judgement" of these public servants.  What we pass for vetting is really the stripping of the candidates' freedoms to satisfy our own argument.  Forget the excellent results that all the candidates' have (or they probably wouldn't have gotten this far), what we care about is only sensationalism.  In a way, we want to strip our President of his/her freedom before they get there to fully vet them.  It doesn't make sense - if they are to uphold everyone else's freedom, we should uphold theirs.  To this end, Senator Clinton's experiences during the Lewinsky problem is none of our business.  Senator Obama's pastor's words, really shouldn't matter to us.  Senator McCain's personal matters should not appeal to our civic duty.  They surely should have the freedom in these areas to be who they want.  Vetting them, then, is contrary to what we believe in.

I don't know what the political fallout of the Obama passport issue will be.  I actually do hope that no one accessed his records malignantly.  I really do hope that people have a higher mentality than that.  But at issue here is not necessarily the political implications, I think.  At issue, is the very nature of our citizenship being tested in the modern day roman coliseum of politics.  At issue, is our very freedom.