Essay about Freedom - 917 Words

Freedom â€Å"Freedom is never more than one generation from extinction.† These are the words of Ronald Reagan, former President of the United States of America, speaking on the topic of freedom, a subject he frequently dealt with during his long presidency. Over the years, freedom in the U.S. has become an increasingly controversial topic, and the effectiveness of the government in affording these freedoms has been called into question. Through certain historical documents and events, the government’s effectiveness at ensuring freedoms for all can be confirmed. The occurrences of several major events in the history of America eventually gave all blacks equal rights and fostered a culture of change in American society. The Emancipation†¦show more content†¦Additionally, approximately a century later, bigotry received its final, most important, blow when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. The act was one of the most important pieces of legislation in Ameri can history, outlawing discrimination of not only blacks, but women, in terms of voting, public education, and workplaces. The passing of this act was a catalyst for social reform, and racial and sexual acceptance. Although delayed and incredibly late, Lincoln and the United States government eventually granted and ensured all American citizens the same freedoms that still exist in the country today. A prime example of the freedom afforded to citizens can be seen through the exploits of the immensely controversial Westboro Baptist Church. The church, according to the Anti-Defamation League, is a â€Å"small virulently homophobic, anti-Semitic hate group that regularly stages protests around the country† (Extremism in America 1). According to Bill Mears with CNN, the church, which has long been a source of controversy, was recently sued for inflicting emotional distress upon a family as a result of protesting at the funeral of a dead marine. However, despite a powerful stateme nt by Chief Justice John Roberts in which he claimed that â€Å"speech is powerful† and that it can â€Å"inflict great pain,† he also said that â€Å"we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker† (Mears 1).Show MoreRelatedFreedom Of Exercise And Freedom975 Words   |  4 PagesFreedom of Exercise One of the key principles the United States of America was founded upon was the idea that religious freedom was an inalienable right. Many who sailed to new world were pilgrims who believed the land was a promised land, sacred. They also believed the new world would allow them to escape religious persecution. When the Constitution was developed in 1787, the First Amendment addressed the relationship between the government and religion stating, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respectingRead MoreThe Bill Of Rights And Freedom Of Freedom1470 Words   |  6 PagesThe freedom of religion and expression:the freedom of the press, the right to assemble to protest and petition the government. To me the First Amendment means that you have the right to freedom of expression and be allowed to express who you are without being judged. This amendment was added to The Bill of Rights and it’s for people to have freedoms in the U.S. This Amendment is important because if not there would ha ve been many angry people in the U.S because they wouldn’t have any freedom to doRead MoreFreedom Is The Highest Point Of Freedom1880 Words   |  8 PagesFreedom has its different demographics and views it can perceived into in which I don’t think it can ever justify to a deserved definition. I think we certainly live in the theory and allusion of freedom but also compared to a vast amount of countries it is definitely looked upon as a free society. A country could never reach the highest point of freedom because that is something of the unordinary and we as a country are more close to freedom than any other country will be. Being able to expressRead MoreFreedom Of The Media And Freedom Of Speech1540 Words   |  7 PagesBC when Socrates was forced to drink poison for his â€Å"corruption of youth† (Mette), which can be seen as silencing one man for the betterment of everyone, but there is always an ample amount of opinions on such a controversial topic as Fr eedom of the press, or Freedom of Speech. Many nations today believe that very strict and regulated system of governing the media and entertainment is the best answer, such as China, where â€Å"censorship was considered a legitimate instrument for regulating the moralRead MoreThe Bill Of Rights And Freedom Of Freedom1470 Words   |  6 PagesThe freedom of religion and expression:the freedom of the press, the right to assemble to protest and petition the government. To me the First Amendment means that you have the right to freedom of expression and be allowed to express who you are without being judged. This amendment was added to The Bill of Rights and it’s for people to have freedoms in the U.S. This Amendment is important because if not there would have been many angry people in the U.S because they wouldn’t have any freedom to doRead MoreFreedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press in Nigeria972 Words   |  4 Pagesconsists of 36 states and its Federal Capital, Abuja. Freedom of Speech in Nigeria has been talked about for many years. Campaigns have been put in place against the government to come up with new laws that protect the people, and the press, to express their opinions and what they believe in. According to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948), â€Å"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression: this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seekRead MoreThe Amendment Of The Bill Of Right : Freedom Of Religion And Freedom1460 Words   |  6 Pages Civil liberties are individual freedoms which are protected from the government by the Bill of Rights. There were historical backgrounds to guarantee the freedom. Although they are ruled in the Constitution, it is not easy to protect the diversity and individual freedom in the society, and not all conflicts have been settled today. Yet, people are in a process to improve democratic society which is not a finished produ ct, and freedom in all its forms improves itself over time. I am going to explainRead MoreAcademic Freedom1508 Words   |  7 PagesAcademic freedom in Kenya Freedom is a basic to education in modern democracies. Freedom in education can be categorized in the various aspects such as; Freedom of the child, academic freedom and freedom to read. Mc’Garry and Ward, (1966) puts it: A free society and a free world imply a free educational system and a freedom within the framework of maximum control. In such a closed society they maintained, freedom in education may consist of ability to say or do in consequential things. The legalRead MoreEssay on Freedom1303 Words   |  6 PagesFreedom remains the sole basis for American society as we know it. Without freedom the great nation of America would have never been founded. To understand the true principles of freedom, one must understand the scope of the word. Philosophical freedom encompasses the ability to make choices without restraints, while political freedom is the state of being free rather than in physical confinement. Despite the importance of these ideas to our founding father s, freedom has lost much of its importanceRead MoreThe Freedom Of Speech703 Words   |  3 Pagescountry. Part of living in the U.S.A. is having the freedom to protest and not being stripped of that right because someone doesnt think its the appropriate time. In 2016, football player, Colin Kaepernick, decided to stand up for his beliefs and not stand for the national anthem. At the beginning he only sat down and nobody noticed, but on his third try, he kneeled. Soon after that he was released from his contract for utilizing his freedom of speech. Before being released, Kaepernick spoke out