“Liberty! Liberty! Liberty!” they cried.
“Liberty! Liberty! Liberty!” I echoed.
“Our liberty,” they cried.
“My liberty,” I echoed.
“No, ours; not yours.”
“My liberty is yours, and yours is mine.”
“No, you’re not one of us.”
“I thought liberty is universal?”
“Only as long as it doesn’t conflict with ours.”
“And when it does?”
“Then our liberty trumps yours.”
“I thought we’re equal?”
“We made up this equality, so technically we’re more equal.
Besides, you don’t even believe in liberty!”
“But I do.”
“You may, but your religion doesn’t; ours does.”
“I have no religion! And I thought you were secular?”
“We like our churches; aren’t they pretty?”
“But you said: secular, human rights, etc.”
“You poor kid; you believe everything we say?
Why don’t you go back home, back to your people…”
“But I left my people; I live here now!
My clothes are here; my cats are here…”
“Oh, tant pis… Schade… Next!”
“Liberty! Liberty! Liberty!” I echoed.
“Our liberty,” they cried.
“My liberty,” I echoed.
“No, ours; not yours.”
“My liberty is yours, and yours is mine.”
“No, you’re not one of us.”
“I thought liberty is universal?”
“Only as long as it doesn’t conflict with ours.”
“And when it does?”
“Then our liberty trumps yours.”
“I thought we’re equal?”
“We made up this equality, so technically we’re more equal.
Besides, you don’t even believe in liberty!”
“But I do.”
“You may, but your religion doesn’t; ours does.”
“I have no religion! And I thought you were secular?”
“We like our churches; aren’t they pretty?”
“But you said: secular, human rights, etc.”
“You poor kid; you believe everything we say?
Why don’t you go back home, back to your people…”
“But I left my people; I live here now!
My clothes are here; my cats are here…”
“Oh, tant pis… Schade… Next!”
