What does freedom mean to Americans?

[rmorse]

I'm trying to say that I'd rather be in a place with no weapons than in a place where everybody including me has a knife and/or gun.

I think you misunderstand me then. I would love to be in a perfectly safe place as well, with no knives or guns, but unfortunately that is never going to happen. Ever. We need knives. How else are you going to make dinner? How are you going to skin the deer you just shot, b/c there are no grocery stores next to you? How else are you going to cut wood to make a fire? Its not feasible. Therefore, the next best thing is for me to carry my knife everywhere. I use it everyday. There are a million and 1 uses for a knife which you (not YOU, you in general) don't know until you start to carry one.

However, since society is CAN NEVER function without some sort of "weapon" (weapon is in quotes, since there are very few actual weapons. in reality, most weapons are tools that happen to be in the wrong hands) society will never be that safe haven of which you speak.

 

[groovitudedude]

I personally collect knives, and I carry a knife almost everywhere I go (not to school, of course). I do, as a matter of fact, know a million and two uses for my knife.

 

[koop171]

Freedom is choice. If I choose to have a gun then I am allowed. If I choose to Not vote then I am allowed (although NOT recamended) Freedom is allowing me to speak my mind and not worry about who I offend b/c my opions are mine and I do not focre them on others.

But here in america We will never get all of these things EVER. We (law obiding people) cannot just go out and buy a full auto AK. They tell us it's not safe b/c the criminals will get them (news flash they allready do have them and NO ban will stop that) We have the right to vote or not to vote but did you know that in the end it is not up to the majority. B/c the electoral college it is possible to have more people vote to put a president into office. And that person will still not win. (It happens). You cannot speak your mind with out someone labelling you. People do not like to be told your opinon if it contradicts with there own. They find it unsettling that others can either be heartless or cruel. Or just that they theyself have a less firm grasp of reality.

So untill the people have the right to do what they wish. Then we are not really free.

Do NOT confuse this with an anarchy gov. or society. I LOVE rules but I do not like the slap on the wrist punishment that goes with them. There was a shotting in the news not that long ago where a man shot a boy arguing with his son. He killed the boy and was later found to be guilty of not only manslaughter but a charge of an illegal weapon. This man only got 6 years. SIX YEARS for killing somones child with an illegal weapon due to an argument. This type of punishment is not right.

When the punishment fits the crime and the right to choose is abundant that is freedom.

 

[JayK1320]

Freedom is what many of our brothers, friends, fathers, grandfathers and so on have died to protect for us. Freedom is a lot of things, it is being allowed to say practically anything you want. Do anything you want, live anyway you want. Pray to any god that you want. Also, as someone else mentioned, it is the ability to get out of life what you put in, you can come from nothing, work hard and get anything you want in life.

Are we 100% free, no of course not. No one in the world is 100% free from anything and everything. There was a society with no rules whatsoever it would be complete chaos. Freedom is different to every person, but with no rules or regulations no one would be able to co-exist. It is a confusing blanket statement, but we all use it everyday, a lot of us take it for granted and plenty of us dont really know what had to be done to get it. But without it, it would not be a good place.

 

[Wackamole]

I have to coolect info on what American citizens think freedom means for an essay for my Anthropology 101 class.

So, what does freedom mean to you?

All help is appreciated.

not to get off subject but i moved from fredricksburg only a few years ago. I lived over by wilderness elementry school

 

[Modest_Man]

“They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security.”

-Ben Franklin

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err. It passes my comprehension how human beings, be they ever so experienced and able, can delight in depriving other human beings of that precious right.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

"You can protect your liberties in this world only by protecting the other man's freedom. You can be free only if I am free."

-Clarence Darrow

To quote Ron Paul, "Freedom is the absence of government coercion".

I think this sums it up nicely. http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul233.html And no, I'm not a Ron Paul follower.

 

[tyl089]

Not having to worry about some commie thugs kicking down your door in the middle of the night, dragging your grandparents out, and having your grandparents beaten, and your grandmother kicked to death when she was on her knees pleading for them to stop kicking and beating her husband.

She died by internal bleeding; the doctor refused to help when my uncle and aunts took her to the hospital.

Not having your father be sent to a concentration camp for disagreeing with them. He learned to smoke to give him a way to cope as he watches his friends kill them selves one by one by climbing on the roof of the camp barracks and falling down head first. Didn't help he was born in New York, USA.

Not afraid to have tanks crush you and your friends to a bloody pulp as machine guns blast away in Tiananmen Square because you're fed up with rampant corruption and lack of freedom.


Hearing about a friend's grandfather hung up on a tree and burnt alive because he owned land.

First one happened to my mother's family in china, second happened to my father, third hapened in June 4th, 1989, fourth heard from friend.

all happened in the People's Repulic of China.

Sorry if it's a bit heavy handed, but seemed that alot of Americans have forgotten about the value, preciousness, and meaning of freedom.

 

[rmorse]

I personally collect knives, and I carry a knife almost everywhere I go (not to school, of course). I do, as a matter of fact, know a million and two uses for my knife.

Hypocrite much?

 

[Death Pony]

Not having to worry about some commie thugs kicking down your door in the middle of the night, dragging your grandparents out, and having your grandparents beaten, and your grandmother kicked to death when she was on her knees pleading for them to stop kicking and beating her husband.

She died by internal bleeding; the doctor refused to help when my uncle and aunts took her to the hospital.

Not having your father be sent to a concentration camp for disagreeing with them. He learned to smoke to give him a way to cope as he watches his friends kill them selves one by one by climbing on the roof of the camp barracks and falling down head first. Didn't help he was born in New York, USA.

Not afraid to have tanks crush you and your friends to a bloody pulp as machine guns blast away in Tiananmen Square because you're fed up with rampant corruption and lack of freedom.


Hearing about a friend's grandfather hung up on a tree and burnt alive because he owned land.

First one happened to my mother's family in china, second happened to my father, third hapened in June 4th, 1989, fourth heard from friend.

all happened in the People's Repulic of China.

Sorry if it's a bit heavy handed, but seemed that alot of Americans have forgotten about the value, preciousness, and meaning of freedom.

I am SOOOOOO using that!!!!!! You live in the US know, so it counts. I don't care what my professor says, that's deep! If that doesn't tug at anyone's heart strings I don't know what will. I'm sorry to hear that happened. No need to be sorry about how heavy that was, it's a real life event and it makes me appreciate living where I am now. Thank you for your input, your grandarents memory will be preserved in my research paper.

 

[Death Pony]

not to get off subject but i moved from fredricksburg only a few years ago. I lived over by wilderness elementry school

Cool! It's changed a lot around here, I coubt you'd recognize it if you came back. I barely even recognize the place after I've been gone for a few months.