Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Freedom

Freedom likely means different things to different peoples around the world. In Africa it might mean the freedom to have clean water to drink so your children won't die of water born diseases and the freedom to marry whoever you want to.

On the Northeast Coast of the United States it might mean the freedom to not have planes fly into buildings that kill thousands of people, and the freedom to run marathon races without being blown up.

West of the Mississippi River and South of the Mason Dixon Line, Freedom might mean owning a car so you can visit friends and relatives hundreds or thousands of miles away from where you live because public transportation in the wide open spaces isn't as good as in the Northeast of the U.S. It also might mean having a hunting rifle displayed behind your head on a rack in your truck to let people know you are armed and ready for anything.

So, freedom can mean different things to different people around the world. Patrick Henry once said as he was being executed during the Revolutionary War, "Give me Liberty or Give me Death!" This is the sentiment of the people who created America. They wanted freedom or they wanted death. And people who feel this strongly in large enough groups usually eventually get what they want.

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