This morning I witnessed how we manipulate the interpretation of words. I was watching the morning news concerning a man sitting in his front lawn picketing that he disliked Muslims. When the gentleman he was picketing merely represented in looks only the profile of former terrorists. This gentleman singled out was a local political figure who was offended by this front lawn act of “freedom”. He was allowed his three minutes of “free speech” on said news channel, whereas, the protestor was not. Is this freedom in the truest sense or are we simply choosing to do selective broadcasting regardless of the dictionary’s definition of the word freedom? That is why I make the analogy that interpretation is in the eye of the beholder or interpreter.
I have often pondered what the word, “freedom,” means to the average person. To the picketer it probably meant the freedom to sit on his front lawn, but to the politician it meant the full berth of giving his opinion on national TV. When I use the term “average,” I am using the word very mildly. The average person believes that they are a part of the distinct group of individuals throughout the world that work, get married, have families (or not), enjoy the fruits of their labor (whatever end results that term encompasses), and live their life in blissful ignorance of what was, is, or could be.
Freedom is the opportunity to choose one’s role in this world. It is not merely an opportunity but a collective choice. This is based on one’s birth right, life experiences, and where we claim to reside. I strongly believe that given our world situation, the brazen colors of terror, the subliminal tactics of commercials, and the price of gas, that we are all contemplating our freedom on a daily basis. We have been maneuvered or outmaneuvered to say the least. It is no wonder that when a patriotic American sings “land of the free”, we emphatically raise our voices in unison. We have been persuaded and convinced that freedom is “our choice.”
However you interpret freedom, there is one thing we cannot ignore. Ponder, if you would, where we would be if we had no choice in our future or that of our children’s’ future. I know that after “911” and the impact it had, directly affected our emotions and interpretation and made us ponder the relevant meaning of “freedom” for most of us. Only a few days after the dust settled, did we really feel the impact of what freedom meant to an American. I also know that we will all feel the impact of freedom for generations to come. I know that it affected a lot more than my ability to feel safe, but the impact affected and left a permanent mark on my future stability and freedom during my retirement years.
Freedom means a lot of things to each of us, but you cannot argue that freedom has given me the ability to write this opinion and publish it. Remember whatever freedom means to you or your family, the word itself does not provide for our future but the actions on its interpretation do.
