YourHub.com \\ Port St Lucie \\ Blogs \\ Family & Community \\ Community

Blog Entry 4 of 6 A book that will impact how you feel about life an

A book about a wonderful man who beat the odds - a man who was not supposed to be able to go to school, tie his shoes -read or write or travel alone.

Blog Url: http://tc.yourhub.com/~ysam51

FREEDOM- Some Gave All - All Gave Some

e-mail to a friend | print this | link to this

Contributed by: Yvonne Mason on 7/3/2008

Freedom. We spout that word every day. Protesters march with signs in their hands screaming freedom this and freedom that. We listen to politicians talk about oppression and how we must have freedom from whatever platform they are standing on at the moment.
We listen to people shout Freedom for no reason except they can't have their own way.
What is freedom? Does anyone stop to think about what the word actually means?
Webster defines freedom as the power or condition of acting without compulsion the moderate absence of restraint the power to choose.
Now let's just look at the freedoms we have and why we have them.
When America was under British rule, She had to follow British law. She was taxed with no representation. People were unfairly burdened with laws they could not keep. They could not speak out against the government if they disagreed with the king, if they did they were killed as traitors. If someone protested he was hung.
They had no voice in how America was run as a government. They were bound or enslaved by another country. It had nothing to do with race or religion- it had to be with the lack of freedom.
Religion was bound by English rule. If one wanted to worship different one was labeled as a witch or something even worse. Men, women and children were killed all in the name of religion.
Now, I know you are saying why is she writing this today? That is a very good question. One which I am going to answer right now.
Freedom. It just sort of rolls off the tongue and slides into the air. It has a nice ring to it. I like freedom. I like being able to sit a my computer and type whatever I want to send it out to cyber space and know that the secret police will not knock one my door or break down my door. ( Well, only if I do things that are against the law) Anyway, I have that freedom to sit here and talk to all of you about the freedoms we enjoy because some gave all and all gave some.
Because of the war of Independence we have the freedom to go where ever we please, carry weapons if we have the proper permit, defend our family and our homes, worship or not worship as we see fit. We have the freedom to protest about anything from a hangnail to executions of criminals.
Vote for the person of our choosing, voice our opinion without fear of reprisal. Wear what we choose. We as women have the freedom to go out in public without our faces covered and without wearing clothes to the ground. We have the freedom to be seen in the company of men other than our husbands brothers, or fathers. We have the freedom to come and go as we please, to hold jobs, to stay single, to travel alone. Because some gave all and all gave some we have the freedom as women to hold public office, to be able to have our voices heard in print. To be able to debate issues and voice our opinions.
Men because some gave all and all gave some you have freedoms that you might not have had. You have the freedom to move about without fear of jail or illegal murder, the freedom to marry or live with the person of your choosing not someone who has been picked out for you. You have the freedom to run for office without someone telling you what your platform is. You have the ability to be employed at any job you feel you can work. You have the freedom to write and speak out on any issue without fear of being killed.
That is not all we have the freedom to have as many or few children as we want. We have the freedom to assembly without fear of persecution. We have the freedom to protest if we disagree. We have the freedom to live lifestyles which in other countries would get us killed in the public square.
We have the freedom to a fair trial by a jury of our peers. We have the freedom to a public defender if we can't afford one. We have the freedom to appeal the decision if we think it is wrong.
We have the freedom to watch or listen to whatever we choose in movies, music and religion.
We have the freedom to have whatever friendships we choose to have. We don't have to align ourselves with others because we fear appraisals if we don't.
We have the freedom to vote for who we choose knowing that vote will count.
You say- Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I know we have all of this. We have had it for over two hundred years. So What.
My answer to that is this. The So What is that we have those freedoms because there are men and women willing to continue to put themselves in harms way on whatever foreign soil or domestic soil they need to step down on to protect those freedoms. Most of us have forgotten those who died on 9/11 those who gave all on the plane as it went down so that it would not kill more.
It is like having a child we tend to forget the pain as time fades. Well, my friends. I haven't I see it every day. I see it in the faces, dedication and unselfish acts of our service men and women - I see it in their determination that we will continue to have those freedoms which we all take for granted. I see it in their belief that they are doing a good thing.
I write about Freedom today because it is five days before Independence Day. I said that all this week I would be writing blogs about why we have Independence Day. This is one of the reasons. Our Freedom. Such a beautiful word. Believe me, if you don't think we are the greatest county in the world, just ask someone who has left a country where there are no personal freedoms.
Not only are they oppressed. But they are poor in body, mind , spirit and in finance. That is how they are ruled. So my friends the next time you see a solider, thank him or her. Shake their hand or hug their neck. Smile and show them you care. The next time you see a Vet. Shake his hand and hug him even harder. The next time you see a wounded vet, take the time to let him or her know that you know and are proud that they gave all. The next time you hear of a family who has lost a solider send them a note even if you don't know them, find the address- it isn't hard. Let the know that you know that solider gave all.
They did it for Freedom. That beautiful word that once is gone almost is never re-gained again. Please don't take our freedom for granted. Don't fool yourself into believing it is our undeniable right. It isn't - It is a gift. One that a very high price has been and will be continued to be paid. That price si the price of a life. There is a passage which says, "No greater love hath a man then when he lay down his life for a friend." My friends that is what our troops gladly do for all of us. They put their lives in harm's way gladly so we can have our FREEDOM!!!!!!
Yvonne Mason, Author
Stan's Story, A Touch of Love
Tangled Minds
Brilliant Insanity soon to be released
Silent Scream soon to be released.

< Previous: 'We have to protect our...' | Next: 'HOPE Without it there ...' >

[Report this as objectionable content.]

SUBMIT COMMENT

Rate the above blog