Liberty Essay Essays Example

History can be seen as a process of increasing individualization and growing liberation. What does freedom mean for a contemporary man? Freedom always has been defining human existence. However, the concept of freedom has been changing depending on the degree of awareness of people towards their identity. The essay is going to reflect my personal point of view on the issue of freedom and my individual liberties, regarding the historical process of their formation and development.
Declaration of the UN is based on the principle that "everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set in it, without any kind of distinction, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status". Thus, today, states guarantee equality of rights and liberties for all citizens, regardless of their sex, race, nationality, language, origin, property and official status, place of residence, attitude to religion, convictions, membership in public associations or other circumstances.
I think that contemporary America represents a good sample of the public liberties and freedoms. Basing on the principles of the Founding Fathers, they reflect the famous words said by Thomas Jefferson: “You can change everything but birth and inalienable human rights”. The United States of America recognizes and guarantees human and civil rights and freedoms in accordance with common principles and norms of international law and in accordance with the present Constitution. The country's legislation prohibits any form of restriction of the rights of citizens on the ground of racial, social, national or religious belonging. Everyone in America has the right to be free and secure. Everyone has the right of inviolability of private life, personal and family secrets, protection of honor and good name. In my opinion, these are the most important freedoms and liberties.
People have always aspired to freedom. Each individual has a different understanding of what does it mean. Mentioned rights and freedoms are important for me because they permit to participate on equal rights in social life. According to democratic conditions of the contemporary world, it is hard to evaluate. But making a trip to the years America was found, we will notice that our free country was not barren of racism and sex discrimination. It took a long time for Black Americans, as well as women, to struggle for their rights and freedoms. The Rise of Modern America perfectly reflected the first years and difficulties America had: oppression of Indigenous peoples, discrimination based on color and race differences, limitation of women’s rights. The policies of the South were the most supportive of the liberty’s limitations. As we have studied during the lecture Modern America, Southern planters supported segregation, slavery and had an offensive approach towards so-called ‘Negroes’. Imagine that slavery in the United States was abolished only in 1865.
Probably, everyone strives to be as free as possible. Today, it is easier to be free. Freedom is reasonable rights and judicious submissive to the laws, which are based on respect for an individual. Thus, fair laws ensure human freedom. In my opinion, liberty is a freedom of speech, press and thought. People should have the right to think and say what they think. Any opinion, even erroneous, deserves respect. There are no bad views or bad tastes. They are simply different. Freedom is the opportunity to make decisions and be responsible for them.
Today, I have the right to choose the place of study, hobby or friends. I can choose which book to read, what music to listen to. I am free to express my opinion on liberties. And if I somehow did not agree with the majority, it does not mean that I should change my point of view. Freedom is the right to choose.
People consciously and unconsciously look for freedom, as they understand it. This desire is stronger than anything hampered to achieve their freedom. But sooner or later, each of us understands that freedom is an illusion. No one can have an absolute and boundless freedom, because absolutely free people do not exist. Their freedom is limited by the rights and freedoms of others. So, each of us, nevertheless of understanding of the issue as a material or spiritual, realizes it. I think that my freedom ends, where the freedom of the person I speak with begins. This voluntary give-and-take behavior is a conscious possession of freedom. It is easy for a free inside person, to make a way for somebody.
In my opinion, an internal freedom is more important than the physical one. I think that freedom is, above all, freedom from prejudices. They limit human abilities, because in most cases, they are based on faulty knowledge and findings.
In general, freedom is a fundamental value of our society. Man has always aspired to freedom from antiquity to our time. It has no precise definition of freedom sufficient for everyone. For someone, it is the ability to make choices on the basis of the distinction between good and evil, for others, freedom is the ability to act in their own way.

Bibliography

Berkin, C. (2013). Making America: A history of the United States (6th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
"Gilded Age: Sex Columbian Expo and the Huddled Masses.". Audio lecture.
Jefferson, Thomas, and Eric S. Petersen. Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness. Modern Library ed. New York: Modern Library, 2004.
"The Rise of Modern America." Lecture.
"UN, United Nations." UN News Center. Accessed January 29, 2015. http://www.un.org/en/.