Freedom Works Both Ways, Folks!

This is a very interesting discussion and very thought provoking. You do not realise how precious freedom is until it is taken away from you. I whole heartedly agree with you that we cry for our own freedom while others cries have fallen on deaf ears, as our cries are getting louder and louder. Please remember those who have lost their freedom and are imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay. As you say in your discussion "If we can't respect the freedom of those with whom we disagree, then we can't honestly say we are for freedom at all" Bravo!!!!!

That's true. Sometimes you've got to give a little to get a little. If we're going to have our freedoms, we also need to be tolerant of others' freedoms. After all, they're putting up with us, too. And we always have to be considerate with others as we wish them to be considerate of us. Too many people today think that they are entitled to everything. They often are too arrogant to work to earn respect. Just gimme gimme gimme! People can be more lenient to accept peoples differences if you conduct yourself respectfully. But freedom is not free.

Yeh life is a touchy thing in some areas, I see people in different countries crying out for help to be free but if the United Nations comes to their aid they are howled down by the other side for trying to take over, to me freedom and privacy is the most important things in life I wish everyone in the world could have it but there does seem to be radicals in this world who can't see the best thing a country can have is their very own people electing the powers of their country. Maybe one day the whole world will be free.

I think the answer to your question might be it is human nature. People are greedy and they expect certain rights and freedoms, but as you say some do not wish to accept the responsibilities that come with that or the down sides.

Freedom doesnt mean doing just want you want to do and not caring and considering. Freedom is more than being free. Freedom is also responsibility and discipline. Without these two this so called freedom that harms and becomes a nuisance is inappropriate. Freedom is way way different from anarchy.

When freedom is something you are born with, or something you grow to take for granted, you sort of get spoiled by it. Its like after 9-11, here in the states, suddenly everyone and their grandma was an avid patriot, now we are back where we started, taking it all for granted. Its not like a concious decision to take freedom for granted, its more of a reaction to the freedom itself, if you dont have to fight for something you start to forget that it can easily be taken away, and that sometimes your freedoms come at expenses you may not be willing to pay.

freedom of speech is nothing. You cant say anything you want to without been arrested for some stupid fads.

I agree that there is a certain resposibility that comes with freedom.Personal responsibility and community responsibility should go hand in hand with any rights that we enjoy.One person does not truly have freedom unless it is shared by all.

Oh I know what you mean. I hear people scream, rant and rave about freedom of this or freedom of that but they don't want to give those same freedoms to others who have differing opinions then them. Religion, is a big one that I've noticed over the years. I've seen people shout and carry on about wanting the freedom to express their religion but if someone else has a different religion they don't want to hear about it being expressed. When talking about freedoms of this nature then we must allow it to be given to all, not just those who feel they are the majority in a society. If we limit it for one it is far too easy to then lose that freedom for all. Freedom comes at high prices. We wouldn't have the freedoms we are afforded today without those who came before us and fought for them. We should honor and respect those who fought for themselves and for us by allowing others to have those same rights.

Freedom is just a perception: We percieve that those who are free do as they wish, when they wish, are happy and loved... But is this simply a perception rooted from the everyday routines and trials in our own lives? I mean, think of it this way: Those who we might call free may not WANT to have the thing in which we covet, they may long for the everyday constraints of our society, and even those who seem to be happy probably AREN'T... You mentioned about slaves, and I think you're right about that...I mean, most people want to just be somewhere different, have something other than what society gives them, and alot of people associate freedom with money, or getting things free, and as you say, even slaves get that.

i see.. well freedom is still for the benefit of all i think.. you just have to look at the bright side all the time !!

Just the word freedom means power to me. Power to make my own choices. Everything revolves around freedom. If you feel like you have freedom then you feel like you have control and control is power and power is happinesss.

For those in the world that take freedom fro granted I have but one thing to say. Stand up and do something to guarantee that freedom will last forever. I love the fact that I am serving my country while also helping underpriveledged nations abroad. I am a Marine stationed in Iraq. I fight for the very freedom that most take for granted everyday without asking for praise or even a simple thank you. I do it because I want my children and their children to be safe and secure in their homes and their country. Why is it that the American people throw hatred towards us for doing the right thing? We are not oppressing other nations here. The media throws disdain and hatred against us at every angle. Why do they not understand that we have given up our way of life, sacrificed our family lives, put our financial future at risk for a cause greater than us- FREEDOM! Yet creditors still refuse to help us, companies and businesses take advantage of us, and the public shuns us. My thought, if only they could walk a mile in my shoes!

Dupont annouced that it is laying off thousands of employees due to restructuring. Ford Motor Company discontinued thousands of positions because not enough of their cars were sold. Many manufacturing jobs have been moved overseas. Recently the employees of a company decided to go on strike. Millions of people quit one job because they found one that pays more, or has better benefits. Why is it that we are supposed to despise the evil corporation but congratulate the worker. Both of them are just doing what is in their own best interests. Jobs are created for the simple reason that someone decides they would rather pay someone else to do something. Those jobs are filled by people who decide they would rather do something for money than for free. Both are out to get the most they can for the least they have to give. So really, what is the difference? I am a guitar teacher. People pay me because they want to learn how to play guitar. When they come to me, they ask me questions about how I teach, what I teach and how much I charge. If they are happy with my answers, we set up a time each week to get together. If they fall on some harder times, decide that I’m charging too much for what they are getting, or they just decide I’m ugly and my mother dresses me funny, they will simply inform me that my services are no longer needed, and that will be that. If for some reason I feel like they aren’t really progressing, they keep putting off paying me, or their breath stinks, I’d simply tell them that I don’t think I’m the teacher for them. If I lose enough students then I’ll have to quit buying the things that I sell on the side, so those I’d have to quit doing business with people who sell picks, strings and other stuff, which (in turn) reduces their income. In each case, someone made a choice that cost somoene else. If you were one of my students would you feel any responsibility to find another student to take your place? Would you feel impelled to continue paying me for a few weeks, so that I wouldn’t lose any income while I was looking for another student? What if I found out that guitar teachers in England get paid a lot more, would you try to get laws passed to force me to keep teaching guitar here, so you wouldn’t have to find another guitar teacher? Freedom works both ways folks. The same freedom that allows you to quit one job in order to accept a better offer allows your employer to lay you off in favor of a better opportunity. In the labor market, you are the seller and the employer is the buyer. If you quit a job, you have “Fired” or “layed off” your boss. If you reserve that right for yourself, why do you resent that same right for others?

As Janis Joplin said, "Freedom just another word for nothing left to lose", in the song "me and Bobby McGee", it both a priviledge and a burden. With freedom comes responsibility. You can't truely be free without accepting the consequences of your actions. You have the right to say what you want, but you have the burden to prove what you say and the responsibility to handle what consequence your comment might bring. You have the right to vote but must deal with your choice. With freedom comes burden and common sense should be your guide, you must be willing to deal with your choices when you exercise your freedoms.

Not only does freedom come with an upside and a downside it comes at a price. There will always be people who try to take away the rights and freedoms of others and therefore there will always be people who have to fight for our freedom. A lot of blood has been shed in the name of freedom.

Yeah, everyone has there own view on it i suppose, i kind of see it in a more general way - for almost everything, what goes around comes around. I relate that to almost everything.

freedome ..no one can take my soul away ..thats my freedome

I have always believed that people are as free as they want to be, but the price of that freedom involves accepting the responsibility for our actions. While we are always free to do or think whatever we want, the actions may easily fail or have consequences. Everyone is free to go walking naked down the street, but the consequence of that might be arrest, or worse, depending on the country you live in.

Well freedom is somewhat something that we really cannot truly achieve but I dont know why though... I guess it just depends on the person on how free they are...