Filmmaker Ken Burns made a PBS documentary film in 1995 by the title, America: The Statue of Liberty, in which the question was asked to several notable American citizens; namely, former Texas Congresswoman Barbara Jordan and writers James Baldwin and Jerry Kosinski. The question was this: “What is Freedom?” One would think the answer would be easy and so simple as to not even merit giving it much thought at all, but such was not the case. American history and cultural tradition is steeped in lofty words as freedom, liberty, independence, but its meaning or definition is determined by the contextual framework of what one has experienced and whether the person is a natural-born citizen or an immigrant. Almost every one of us has a ‘feel’ for what we think freedom is or what it means to be free, but is an emotional or intuitive response sufficient to act as the determining qualifier for something that all of us yearn for and experience in American society; even if we cannot adequately put it into words. So, in order to help solve this possible dilemma, WEBSTER’S will be an invaluable tool for defining “Freedom,” and its cognate words, “Liberty” and “Free.”
Liberty (noun)- The quality or state of being free; the power to do as one pleases. The enjoyment of various social, political or economic rights and privileges; a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant.
Freedom (noun)- The quality or state of being free; the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action. (syn)- The power or condition of acting without compulsion or constraint [which encompasses the broad range of a total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being unduly hampered].
Free (adj)- Not subject to the control or domination of another; not determined by anything beyond its [ones] own nature or being; not bound, defined, or determined by force; not subject to [any] restriction, government regulations or official control; having no obligations or commitments.
It would seem that the most cherished and sought after of our Constitutional rights can be dangerous and harmful in its most absolute and extreme set of circumstances; bringing about what WEBSTER defines as “Anarchy.”
Anarchy (noun)- The state of lawlessness or political [and social] disorder due to the absence of governmental authority; the enjoyment of complete freedom without rules and regulations.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce ST. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
August 30, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
