Freedom

Freedom. The word in and of itself elicits a sense of pride, purpose, and resolve. As Americans, nothing is more sacred than our freedoms and liberties. The hard fought and victorious American Revolution well over 250 years ago gave us an autonomy long sought after, and with it certain unalienable rights as American citizens. 

But what exactly is freedom?  And how do we know that we are truly free? 

America is governed  by one simple rule: By the people, of the people, for the people. We choose who will lead and defend our great country. We are not subjects to an aristocracy nor an oligarchy. If we are ever dissatisfied with those we put in power, we have the ability to remove a person from political office. But our freedoms extend much beyond political maneuvering. We have several freedoms afforded to us as Americans.

Freedom of Choice

As Americans, we enjoy the right to make our own choices in just about anything. It is one of the far-reaching implications of the principles of our constitution. We can choose where we want to live, what we want to eat, where we want to sleep, what time we want to wake up, etc.. no entity dictates to us a list of choices we must abide by in society. It is ours and solely ours to choose. 

Freedom of Religion

We have freedom to choose what religion we want to practice without persecution or ridicule. In America, we have a wide swath of religions, many customs and practices all embraced and accepted. It’s part of what defines the very principles of being American.

Freedom of Information

Transparency of information and knowledge is also a cornerstone to true freedom. Knowledge is power, and having provable and measurable information which allows us to make more informed and better decisions as Americans is priceless. A society without knowledge or information cannot and will not flourish. 

Freedom of Opinion

Free thinking. As Americans, we have the freedom to think for ourselves, rather than some government or dictatorship telling us how to think. We can form our own opinions on matters and the fact that that opinion is a popular opinion or not, does not matter. It is our opinion, and we have the freedom to voice it.

The list of our many American freedoms goes on. It is our freedom and liberty as Americans which makes America the greatest nation in the world! Without the freedoms and rights afforded to Americans by our US Constitution, America wouldn’t be the land of free and home of the brave. 

We must never forget that America is the land of opportunity and freedom from tyranny, and we must continue to fight for the principles and rights that have made and continue to make this nation the greatest in the world.