I’ll risk being slightly controversial here.
It’s interesting to hear people from the US talking about freedom. Usually, it’s in the context of ‘freedom to …’ In other countries people talk about ‘freedom from …’ I’ll mention just two examples. People in other countries value freedom from gun violence. They also talk about freedom from having someone else’s religious views shoved down their throat or up their uterus.
It’s fascinating to watch people from the US propose that they are the champions of freedom for the world, while at the same time they stand by and watch while freedom for half the population to have control over their own bodies is stripped away.
How can those two things happen inside one brain? Happy to discuss.
Freedom comes at a cost.
As
@mdwest stated, the freedom of the USA was the deciding factor in World Wars I and II. In the first, the USA entry in 1917 provided fresh troops, equipment, and leadership that tipped the balance toward the Allies. In WWII the USA provided Great Britain and the Soviet Union much war material for them to fight. For these weapons and materials, FDR made Churchill and Britain give up their African colonies. Sounds like freedom to me! Also, don't forget about American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen (USAAF), Marines, and Merchant Marines who died for freedom of the world.
In the USA our Constitution was and is the framework for an experiment in a constitutional democratic republic. Approved by the 13 original states in 1787, it was a compromise of many things between all the states. But it worked then and it does now! Occasionally there are protests and violence but overall we have a government
"Of the People, For the People, and By the People." Can you say that about many other countries?
en.wikipedia.org
The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments of the constitution. Ratified in 1791, these "rights" are those of the people, granted or provided by God, not our government. The Bill of Rights LIMITS the power of the federal government.
en.wikipedia.org
The classic example of the First Amendment’s freedom of speech is that I and many others will use our rights to fight for or against others to say publically things that we hate.
The Second Ammendment's assurance of the right to keep and bear arms ensures the other ammendments, our constitution, and our freedom. With that right come criminal use of arms. If only we could have public hangings, perhaps a lot of the would be murderers would think twice before killing others.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
So yes, we in the USA have freedom and we love it. There are some that continually try to limit individual freedoms. That is where our Federal Judicial branch of government comes into play to overturn unconstitutional laws.
America is Freedom! Show me another multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-race, and multi-religion (or lack of) society that functions as well as the USA. Please do!
PS: The "left wing" comedian Bill Mahar said this just last night. I agree with him!
