Still, I have hope that if we got to know our neighbors who are different from ourselves we would see them as a human beings first. A s a child, I learned that America was the freest place on Earth.
Anyone could be whatever they wanted, and opportunities were limitless if I put in the effort. I learned that our freedoms of speech, religion and so forth applied to everyone. I was proud of America. I felt fortunate to live in a place that valued and embodied traits like compassion, empathy and acceptance, and took care of its people while welcoming more in.
To be young again, right? In fact, I watch unsheltered human beings be herded, like cattle, from one block to the next at the request of those with money, prope rty, power or influence. Freedom seems to be enjoyed only by those able to pay for it. If someone must ask permission to do things needed to survive — eat, sleep, use the restroom — they are not free. Focusing on our own individual freedoms, autonomy and quality of life has made us angry, entitled, fearful, greedy, depressed and addicted.
Retired U. As a young boy I learned the meaning of our Four th of July and the Declaration of Independence from my father, a career naval officer, and through participation in Cub Scouts. Freedom for me, like many others in our country, is all about democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality.
More so, it is about the opportunity for prosperity and success, as well as upward mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work and commitment. My father, a product of the Great Depression and World War II, stressed the importance that nothing is given to you; you have to work hard for success. As such, our country is among the freest nations on earth; our citizens enjoy tremendous liberty thanks to the way our government was set up by the founders.
A democracy is a government in which the people are able to choose our leaders. I followed my father with a career in the U. Our Constitution and amendments address equality and fairness but there is much to be done — especially in our legal system — to bring all America, especially African Americans, to a level playing field.
I am hopeful. Because I grew up in a military family, I know the sacrifices countless men, women and their families make. Thank you to all who serve and have served to defend our freedoms in this complex nation we call home. God bless and protect all our active military and veterans! The Declaration of Independence defines us as free Americans with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, with those rights secured by a government that derives its powers from the consent of the governed.
The Constitution embraces our spirit of ideal freedom. The First Amendment grants us the ability to express what we believe, on equal footing.
Clark County Citizens United routinely exercises that right with every testimony submitted to the public record. County councilors recently had a packed hearing room full of peaceful equestrians voicing their concerns about infringements to their ideal freedoms. Americans have shown we are willing to go to great lengths to defend our freedoms and express our beliefs. Our America is a work in progress and is always evolving toward a more ideal and perfect union.
The American ideal of freedom has to be dependent upon the opportunities that have been put in place to level the playing field so that each individual can rise to their full potential. Since I came to the United States from Kenya in August , I have grown intellectually and socially by making good use of the opportunities that I have had.
Speaking of intellectual growth, the education system in the United States is world-class. That kind of opportunity does not exist in Kenya where I completed my high school education. What does the First Amendment say about freedom of speech? Can speech be restricted, and if so, when?
How did freedom of the press come about? Are there restrictions on press freedom? The ways in which this core freedom has developed in law are explained in this overview by a First Amendment scholar. The First Amendment introduced bold new ideas to the world: that government must not impose a state religion on the public, or place undue restrictions on religious practice, but must recognize the right of the people to believe and worship, or not, as their conscience dictates.
Our right to gather in peaceful public protest — in marches, rallies and other assemblies — is another core freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment. As an example of someone who is not free in this sense, Berlin points to drug addicts who want to quit, but who are ruled by their lower irrational desires. They are not masters of themselves; they are slaves to the drugs. Another useful distinction is the following:. Watch it now, on Wondrium.
These three kinds of freedom are often conflated and have not all always been recognized or even sought after. This is why non-sci-fi movies like Braveheart are a bit anachronistic. The Scots wanted independence, sure, but because they wanted it to guard against abuses of power, like English soldiers raping brides, not because they had the means to do things that the laws of England were preventing them from doing. Interference with self-mastery is something that actually happens all the time, through propaganda, ad campaigns, and the manipulation of the media.
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