It is that ability, guaranteed to me by the constitution and enforced by the government, if necessary, to conduct my life as I see fit, within, of course, the bounds of moral decency.
No matter what race, gender, religion, or ethnic background I may have, I am equal to everyone else. There is no royalty, no nobility, and no preferred class. I have the same opportunities as everyone else, as do my children and their children, regardless of income, political affiliation, or any factor other than ability.
I am guaranteed the right to believe what I will and to hold any opinion that I will, and to speak about them freely and without fear of retaliation.
I am guaranteed the right to meet with others as I see fit, when and where I see fit, in groups large and small.
I am guaranteed the right to live where I will and how I will, and to move freely throughout the country without restriction or registration.
I am guaranteed the right to choose my own occupation and earn a living as I wish, whatever it may be. Or not earn a living.
I am guaranteed the right to bear arms in defense of myself, my home, and my family, including the right to assemble as a part of a local militia (usually state). I am guaranteed that the armed forces of the federal government will never be used against me.
I am guaranteed that I will never be subjected to forced searches of myself or possessions without good reason, i.e., there is reasonable suspicion thatI have committed a crime.
I am guaranteed the right to participate in government, at all levels, so that my views and desires become known. I am guaranteed the right to choose the individuals who will govern me and to become a governing official, should I so desire.
Should I be arrested for any reason, I am considered innocent until proven guilty, and I cannot be incarcerated without formal cause having been shown. My rights as an accused are protected.
We had been, at one time, a country dominated by another. We were fortunate to have been able to get rid of them–others were not so fortunate–and to prevent incursion from still more countries through the years. We have been a haven for those who were politically or economically or religiously oppressed.
The United States is, consequently, composed of diverse people who did not have the freedoms we enjoy. When you see American enthusiasm for “freedom,” and you do not understand where it comes from or what it is about, you have to keep in mind that our people were not always “free.” Some, in fact, were very recently not free, as in just a few months or years ago.
They were the oppressed of the world. Finns do not flock here in great numbers because they are not oppressed. Eastern European Jews, Russians, Vietnamese, Chinese, Cubans, and a host of others flocked here because they were oppressed–some in near danger of extermination. Others, like the Irish, came to escape starvation.
Under those circumstances, when you end up in a country which protects you, your family, and your beliefs, your sentiments about “freedom” become very important and you are willing to work to keep that “freedom.” This might seem odd to outsiders from older and more established countries with stable political systems, but it’s not so odd if you see it on an individual level here.
These freedoms are fragile and easily lost. Those who would take them away are always with us–constantly chipping away at it. Keeping our freedom intact requires constant effort and much of our court system is devoted to it.
Whether you agree with the current administration or not, the basic principles underlying the freedom we hold dear still stand. On a personal level, I feel very strongly about this, to the extent that I once took an oath to defend this country even if it should require loss of my life, and I have never set that oath aside and, without hesitation, would still do it today, solely in the name of freedom.
