Freedom isn't free

Recently I visited a a beach in NYC. It happened to be Rockaway beach in Queens but I'm quite certain my point also applies to a wider range of New York City's recreational areas. The first thing that surprised me as a European were the restrictions of where you could swim. Only in between the flags or get the whistle from the life guards. I understand that it saves lives, but still, it does not correspond with the usual strong notion of individual freedom and individual responsibility. But, the most surprising thing was what happened at 6pm. The water closed. How does water close? In America the state decides when the citizens can enter the part o nature called water. I was happy to see though, the freedom loving Americans did not seem to understand that the beach was now closed and kept splashing around. Possibly because the water was right in front of them and the waves kept temptingly rolling in. But the state was used to freedom loving citizens and reacted with dispersing security guards who begun patrolling the beach, requesting that people "step up from the water, the water is closed". As soon as they turned their back, the freedom lovers ran back in and the circus went on for almost two hours until it was time for me to leave. Most likely this show plays every night, every day of the warm summer. In my European country, a sign saying "swim at your own risk" would do the same job because wasting tax payers money to prevent the same tax payers from enjoying nature is not popular if you want to be reelected.

This whole episode reminds me of slogan "freedom isn't free" used in the U.S. Armed Forces. It describes exactly the feeling of tourist in America who is expecting to see freedom but is instead met by security guards with loudspeakers fending off kids who want to splash around in the water. For some reason, I suspect that the double speak (hypocrisy) on Freedom in America will be a reoccurring issue. Therefore, I have decided to create a list of features in America that isn't free. Let's call it "the freedom isn't free list"!

Americans, I encourage you to demand your acclaimed freedom! It is not normal for the state to prevent you from swimming!