True Liberty
It is freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves
be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
—Gal. 5:1
But now that you have been set free from sin and
have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the
result is eternal life.
—Rom. 6:22
An English philosopher and physician John Locke
(1632–1704) said, “All mankind… being all
equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health,
liberty or possessions.” Locke’s
views were echoed by Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), a founding father and
president of the United States who wrote, “We
hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these
are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This is the essence of freedom.
Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906), a social reformer and
women’s rights activist said, “It was we,
the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but
we, the whole people, who formed the Union.
And we formed it, not to give the blessings of liberty, but to secure
them; not to the half of ourselves and the half of our posterity, but to the
whole people – women as well as men.”
Anthony’s beliefs were supported by W. E. B. Du Bois (1868–1963), a
sociologist and civil rights activist who wrote, “I believe in Liberty for all men: the space to stretch their arms and
their souls, the right to breathe and the right to vote, the freedom to choose
their friends, enjoy the sunshine, and ride on the railroads, uncursed by color;
thinking, dreaming, working as they will in a kingdom of beauty and love.” Anthony’s concern was with having equal
rights of women, while Du Bois’ focus was on African Americans.
Freedom
& Equality
B. R. Ambedkar (1891–1956), an Indian jurist and
politician said, “My social philosophy
may be said to be enshrined in three words: liberty, equality and
fraternity. Let no one, however, say
that I have borrowed my philosophy from the French Revolution. I have not.
My philosophy has roots in religion and not in political science. I have derived them from the teachings of my
Master, the Buddha.” Benjamin
Franklin (1706–1790), a founding father of the United States elaborated on this
dimension of freedom when he wrote, “Without
freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom – and no such thing as
public liberty without freedom of speech.”
But John F. Kennedy (1917–1963), president of the United States uttered
a warning about the survival of freedom when he said, “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall
pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose
any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” That
was the will of Kennedy for Americans.
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