The Many Faces of Freedom in America

There are a multitude of varying perceptions regarding the concept of freedom. Whether the freedom of the individual, of our nation, or of the human race--there is a constant state of conflicting emotions in our country which date back to the colonial days. Just as the new settlers struggled to identify and actuate their ideas of freedom, so do Americans today. Nothing has stricken more personal chords throughout history than the struggle and debate over differing ideologies of freedom. Furthermore, history shows that these debates led to wars which spanned the globe and in which millions of lives were sacrificed for freedoms' cause.
As I delved into this complex arena of discussion, I found this ongoing debate internalize within me as I discovered the intensely personal nature of the topic. Many questions arose: How do I, personally, view freedom? Are Americans governed by restrictions of freedoms for the sake of the whole or does the government grant freedoms for the sake of the few? Did our Founding Fathers subscribe to an ideology of freedom that persists today? Or has our centrally controlled government converted our ancestors guidelines of freedom to hold more power over the people? How do opposing views on the allocations of liberties affect the stability of our country as a free society? …