The Freedom 'of', and the Freedom 'to' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Freedom 'of', and the Freedom 'to' - Essay Example Yet, he would live his life abusing his new found freedom and turned it from a freedom 'from' enslavement to a freedom 'to' abuse. As Americans, we have also been endowed with a freedom that has come with the price tag of a great responsibility. Freedom is charged with exercising the tolerance, compassion, and dignity that must be afforded to all individuals in the world. In exercising our right to be free, we must insure that our national freedom from bondage does not become a freedom to oppress. Exercising freedom is a process of practicing great restraint. America has a national heritage of economic wealth, mobility, and the freedom of expression. Yet, these basic freedoms, that are often taken for granted, come with an obligation to act responsibly. Wealth cannot be used to exploit a people that are struggling to climb from a history of poverty and into the developing community of nations. Our freedom of mobility does not grant us the right to travel to distant lands only to be occupied for the purpose of greed and political convenience. Freedom of expression requires that we speak honestly and with dignity for the purpose of promoting truth. We have the freedom of speech and movement, but we do not have the freedom to abuse these fundamental rights. Being granted our freedom has given us the inalienable right to be treated with respect and dignity.