Does the Free in Freedom Mean Anything? In the past, freedom has never been easy to attain. It came after years of abuse, fighting and corruption. No one has ever just been handed their freedom, it had to be earned. It was earned through fights, verbal and violent. It was earned after blood, sweat and tears. The question has arrised asking “Is freedom ever given?” and to this question the answer is a simple, but strong No. The two speeches, ‘The Gettysburg Address’ by Abraham Lincoln and ‘I have a Dream’ by Martin Luther King prove this. No, freedom is never given, it obviously must be demanded, this is proven through the rhetorical devices and tone as shown in the US seminal documents. To begin with, it is clear that freedom is never given
Although the word was never directly stated beyond the Bill of Rights, the abstract concept of ‘freedom’ underscores all of the documents, most eloquently in the Declaration of Independence. The idea “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights” extends far beyond pragmatic polity; it defines the American spirit. Its lyrical rejection of “absolute tyranny” courses through our veins, precipitating American individualism: a culture of independence
True freedom is not something that can be given. It is something that every single person must discover for themselves. If a person were set free, though still thought of themselves as a slave, they are a slave. America is a country that thrives on freedom. Though numerous people throughout the United States take this privilege for granted.
American beliefs and opinions give a great understanding of what an American values. The want and need for freedom is described in many different ways based on origin or social beliefs. The main backbone of America today is freedom. Through the building of an American empire everyone can’t come to an understanding of what it is to be equally free. By comparing and contrasting the perspectives of Patrick Henry’s speech to the “Virginia Convention,” to take up arms and fight for our freedom. Frederick Douglass’ “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July,” who feels it’s time to end slavery. It is clear that the struggles of the American story are still prevalent and America has not yet found a way for freedom for all.
Should Freedom be given or must be demanded? Freedom should be demanded because freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demand by the oppressor, quoted by Martin Luther King Jr. The Emancipation Proclamation stated that Africans Americans are free but we were “never” free. Also, The March on Washington was an important event that had made a change in our lives and our freedom. The Declaration of Independence was a statement that announced that the thirteen colonies are not under British rules. In my opinion, we should not have to fight for our freedom and we should all be equal.
Every person has their own characterization of freedom. Depending on time, place, religion, and race, this meaning varies. Eventually it comes back to one specific point, all men, regardless of anything, created equally, and therefore have the right to be free. The “Declaration of Independence,” written by Thomas Jefferson, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech both address the problem of not being free. Even though Thomas and Luther were alive 150 years apart and had very different lives, they both faced the same issue of human equality that drove them to write some of the most influential works in American history. Although they bear some superficial similarities, the difference between the Declaration of Independence and “I Have a Dream” speech are pronounced.
Robert A. Heinlein once said, “You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don’t ever count on having both at once”. In other words, this is describing how freedom cannot be obtained without struggle. The U.S. has faced trials and tribulations that has questioned the nation’s liberty. The term “land of the free” can be defined as a region where a person is given the right to live, and to pursue their desires without being condemned for it. As known, the U.S. has undergone various social and political struggles, that has enhanced the nation to be known as the “land of the free”.
In a world where the word “freedom” is tossed around quite liberally, it is important to understand what it is. That having been said, freedom is not something that can truly be defined, nor entirely understood. Some may argue that you can never be free, while others may argue that you are as free as you choose to be. Some will argue that freedom can be achieved in your head and is not a physical thing. With that being said, the millions of slaves who once served as essential capital to the Unites States’ economy may feel differently. Others will argue that no one can be free until death, or until they enter the gates of heaven. The more simple minded might just say that to be free is to be able to do what you want. When I look at the idea
We can all recall that time between graduating high school and beginning our freshman year of college. For many people, myself included, going to college meant a chance to finally escape that small town that we called home. The summer began to come to a close, and we could hardly contain our excitement to finally start our new adventure. College began, classes and homework took over our lives, and we made new friends and experienced many memories with them. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, right? While most of my newfound classmates opted to go back to their home towns for the summer, I've decided to stay in my cozy college town, much to my parents disdain. It is wonderful, yet bittersweet to not have to go back to that boring
The conversation about freedom has no discernable beginning, it seems it always was and possibly always will be. People are discontent when someone or something is ruling over them. Whether it is African American slaves being ruled by white masters, people being ruled by their societies, or people under the rule of their government communities are discontent with the outcome. The main premise of freedom is unchanged, it is by definition the opportunity given for the exercise of one’s rights, powers, desires, or the like. Even though freedom has stayed fundamentally the same, its application has changed over time.
Freedom is one of the most sought after ideals in human history. The search for freedom has taken mankind into the fiercest of protests, struggles, revolutions, and wars. The concept of freedom is often described as the breaking physical bonds or the absence of an oppressive force, but that is not true freedom. True freedom is an individual's ability to act without confining restrictions. Despite the era and the different limitations, the quest for freedom remains strong.
We all really dont know if freedom was given or was it demanded, all we know is that we wish that freedom was given to us from the beginning but we can not change the past or stop what is going on now, the only thing we can do is fight everyday when we hear someone
Freedom: the right to speak or think as one wants without restraint, the absence of foreign rule or an autocratic government, and the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved. The words life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness were hypocritical. There is no way to sugar coat it; America, the land of the free and home of the brave, was founded with the use of slave labor. The emancipation of slaves was over a hundred years ago, but there is still some form of imprisonment or bondage in today’s society. Although it seems America has achieved freedom to all, the question still reigns: Is freedom a realistic goal to obtain or is it just a fantasy that people tell themselves in order to feel good?
Today we accept that freedom is a basic right human right but what exactly is freedom. 1On one hand, there is physical freedom. People who are not imprisoned or enslaved are free. On the other hand, there is freedom as a the right to act, speak or think what you want. People cannot reach their full potential if they are not free in both senses of the word.
Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” Freedom is unexplainably valuable. The only way to truly understand freedom and the obtainment of it is to understand the roles of those involved. Namely, the freedom complex is made up within the role of the dictator, the role of the individual, and the role of society.
Freedom is not so free. The right of freedom of speech doesn't imply you should always say what you wish to say, no matter the cost. First, you should examine the circumstances: Is it hurtful to those receiving your words? Is it significant or only diminishing? Are people going to truly listen and hear your perspective? If there is a repercussion, will it be worth it?