...The Power of Freedom “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed” (Martin Luther King Jr.). Just like Martin Luther King Jr. said people who faced oppression couldn’t wait around expecting to be given freedom. Instead, in order to earn it, they would need to fight and demand for it. The same ideas are portrayed through the writing of a fellow activist, Maya Angelou. In “I know why the caged bird sings” by Maya Angelou, the idea of freedom is explained through the use of metaphors and imagery. To begin, the metaphors used compare two perspectives of life. The poem itself is one large extended metaphor with other metaphors dispersed throughout. The main metaphor explains the lives of two barricaded races; “The caged bird” representing those who lacked freedom and “The free bird” representing those with freedom (Angelou). A caged bird could be a metaphor for any group of people facing oppression while the cage represents physical barriers. The freedom appointed to the free bird is opposite to that given to the caged bird. To show how the caged birds dealt with this segregation Angelou writes, “The caged bird sings/with fearful trill of the things unknown/but longed for still/and is tune is heard/on the distant hill for the caged bird/ sings of freedom” (Angelou). The caged birds “fearful trill” represents the bird’s worry that it will never have a chance to experience that same freedom. Though he’s fearful and his ambition is unmet...
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...Sansone 1 English 101 5 September 2014 Freedom: The Power of Choice Freedom is the power to make decisions based on your own life and given the unalienable rights to do so. Every man born in America is endowed with certain rights and justices that consider them free. They are all born with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To be free does not mean a person can do whatever they please; there are laws that must be followed for everyone to be treated equal. As soon as someone’s freedom starts to interfere with another person’s that is when it becomes injustice and there may be legal actions taken against the rights of the wrong doer. A Supreme Court Representative in 1902, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., made the statement, “The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins.” America is supposedly the country for freedom and equality because in other countries the people are not given nearly the same amount of rights. America is also the only country that allows immigrants to migrate to our country and allow them to become a legal citizen. Freedom is allowing any human being the same rights as another no matter the difference in race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or whatever it may be. Many men and women fought hard throughout their whole lives to ensure that people of a different race would be given the same freedom as a white man. Martin Luther King Jr. in the most well known advocate for freedom between races and made a huge impact in the ...
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...The Power of Freedom in Braveheart and the Lord of the Rings How far would you go to defend freedom? Would you overcome impossible odds? In the films “Braveheart” and “The Lord of the Rings,” the main characters, Mel Gibson and Elijah Wood, go to the ends of the earth to achieve their goals and bring freedom to the people within their society. The two main plots emphasize the concept that no matter what nation you live under, any man or woman will fight to defend their right to freedom. In “Braveheart”, Mel Gibson, plays William Wallace. In the movie his wife is brutally killed by one of the English kings. Before the death of his wife, Wallace also experiences the death of his brother and father by the hands of the same aggressor when he was a child. After this he decides that any aggressive action against those he holds dear will not be left unavenged. The day of his wife’s death, William waited for his wife at a secret hiding place and when he finds out she isn’t coming because she was killed, he takes the ways of the law into his own hands. When William becomes a revolutionary he leads the Scottish people to an uprising against the English government. William then begins to de-thrown all the kings in the English region. He loses all sense of inhibition while pursuing his desire to avenge his loved ones’ death and brings freedom to his people. “The Lord of the Rings” is a movie about the plight of mankind while defending itself against a great evil of a supernatural...
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...Freedom, equality, justice and power are the foundation of leadership. Today's world is filled with diverse groups of people; they have different cultures, nationalities and personalities. Because of this diverse environment we deal with change very often, in the workplace, school and at home. John Maxwell once said, "A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." A leader means someone who has ability to lead a group of people, someone who people follow and idolize. And leadership is one of the rare and precious human capitals, especially in today’s society. Without leaders to guide and shape decisions society, the world will be mess up. Leaders are usually respect by youth, people in same age, and elders, they may make some bad choice sometimes, but they still deserve these respect. By being a leader, a person can have many different options to take. People are not born like a leader, but the options they got through the growth make them became leaders. If people have quality to know what are freedom, equality, justice and power, they must became a good and effective leader soon or after. Freedom is to live without any shackles. People are born free; they have free to speech, write and think. “Freedom is not a matter of choice, it is a destined path, an undying yearning for the peace of one's soul until attainment.” (Churchill, 2003) Good leaders can give another people freedom while give themselves freedom. Free is the easy word to say but...
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...American Freedoms for the Muslim World Image courtesy of imamluqman.wordpress.com HUM/176 November 25, 2012 American Freedoms for the Muslim World 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Freedom of Speech Social Media The Innocence of Muslims Responsibility Liberty for Safety All Men Are Created Equal 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What is Equality? Differences Working Together All Our Opinions Have Merit Ignorance and Mocking Illusion of Superiority http://www.ourchurch.com/member/b/Brazo sPraise/index.php?p=1_37 Unalienable Rights 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Right Given By God All From the Same Origin The Lien Holder What You Believe What Our Founding Fathers Intended Image from jonathanmillhouse.blogspot.com Liberty or Safety? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Liberty or Safety What is Necessary For Our Safety Government Provided Security Harm’s Way If the Blame Must Fall, Where Should it Land? Image from patriotpost.us Ignorance and Arrogance 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Different Consequences Determine the Crime Their Faith is of Higher Stature The Murder of Innocent American’s The True Motives About the Author 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. There Are Clues in the Film Itself Superiority Complex This Author Should be Exposed An Investigation Should be Held We Must Do Research. Image from gawker.com 5942651 The Innocence of Muslims 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Images of Muslim Militants An Explanation of the Prophet Muhammad Quran is Depicted Accept the Ways of Muhammad Call To Arms Movie clip from Innocence of Muslims Closing 1....
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...The question of how someone should govern anybody has been a philosophical question that has existed over thousands of years. Machiavelli was an aristocrat that grew in a time where power was needed so that Italy could save itself from the influences of Spain and France; which heavily influenced his ideals of using power to obtain anything needed and using fear to withheld it. Lao Tzu on the other hand, was a man of enlightenment; who believed that possessions such as power, dominance, and wealth, were not as valuable or necessary as assets and should even be deemed evil by the enlightened man. To govern with an “Iron Fist” or to govern with a steady hand that only shows the way but does not enforce it, this was the main question. Lao Tzu and Machiavelli are almost opposites of one another in terms of needs and wants with Lao Tzu being a person who believed that the more force that was used, the less one would obtain; whereas, Machiavelli was a man who believed that power should be used to obtain anything, by any means necessary including those achieved by immoral conduct. Lao Tzu believed that one needed to govern in moderation, tossing aside items that could cause ambition, and ruling in which the people found their own happiness and was not imposed on them what are moral conducts. He strongly advocated that people needed to toss aside petty differences and constantly advocated in fair treatment. He believed that “The Master leads by emptying people’s minds and filling...
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...fighting for what they believed in. The beginning of the article that was about Robert Williams’s child hood was very heart breaking, through that little introduction of him, I was able to understand why he did most of what he did while fighting for freedom. Robert Williams was a veteran of World War II, he is a figure that most history books have left out, and he did not preach violence but was willing to use a gun in order to defend women, children, and the community. I was a bit shocked to discover that he practiced self-defense before Malcom x Besides elevating Williams to his rightful place in civil rights history alongside Malcom X and others Timothy B Tyson's article challenges the concept that Black Power and armed self-defense emerged only after 1965. Rather, Tyson points out that the roots of Black Power stretch further back and often worked "in tandem and in tension" with non-violent direct action. This is an important reconceptualization of a critical era in American history. As a matter of course, Historians have depicted the civil rights movement as a nonviolent call on the morals of America and following the Black Power as a violent disapproval of what was considered to be the right way of gaining equality and freedom, Timothy B Tyson in...
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...Freedom comes with the power and the knowledge to make one’s own choices. This can come as a privilege for some, but for others it is a burdensome journey. Both have the opportunity to exercise their rights, but the outcome of their actions will be different. According to Malala Yousafzai, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), George Takei, and John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) freedom comes with immense power, but it must be used for the greater good to maintain authority over one’s life. Presently, though freedom as well as the basic rights of all can be taken away or silenced, they were gallantly fought for and should not be abolished effortlessly. FDR makes it clear in his “Four Freedoms” speech that freedom is the right from which all other rights...
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...on the exercise of power. Consent is the idea that govt power should be based on the agreement of the governed, usually expressed through regular and competitive elections. Liberals support constitutionalism and consent because they fear that govt may become a tyranny against the individual, based on the assumption that power is inherently corrupting and concentrations of power will lead to absolute corruption. This assumption is rooted in the liberal view of human nature: as individualism implies self- interest, those with power over others are apt to abuse it for their benefit and at the expense of others. Liberal constitutionalism is expressed through support for various external and internal devices, such as codified constitutions, bills of rights, the separation of powers, federalism or devolution, and so on. Liberal support for consent is evident in support for electoral democracy in general and, more specifically, sympathy for referendums and proportional representation. 2. Distinguish between negative freedom and positive freedom, and explain the implications of each for the state. (Jun 02) Negative freedom is the absence of external constraints upon the individual, usually understood as non-interference. It is manifest in freedom of choice and consistent with privacy. Negative freedom implies rolling back the state, because the state as a compulsory and coercive body is by definition an offence against freedom. Positive freedom can be variously defined...
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...Abraham Lincoln stated, “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” As American’s who fit the “ideal” standard, there are many freedoms that are oftentimes taken for granted. Many times those freedoms are not given to minority groups, resulting in a lack of freedoms. Although the entire nation is supposed to have equal rights, the white male majority has the power to control freedoms, which could result in a loss of freedom for all, and the destruction of America. The idea of losing freedoms because of the control of power is shown through many works, including: Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience, Toni Morrison's Beloved,...
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...This is what happens to Harrison Bergeron. He wanted freedom, but he had to pay the price of death. In this story, “Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.” Harrison’s parents are watching television and they see Harrison trying to overturn the government. The Handicapper General rushes in and kills him because he wanted to let everyone free. This story shows that freedom is what people want but sometimes it takes risks to get freedom. One of the biggest themes in Harrison Bergeron is the idea of freedom. On page 3, Hanzel is trying to convince George to take some of the lead balls out of his handicap bag because how tired he always is. “If you could just take a few out when you came home from work…” This shows us that George makes it seem that he is already free, even though he has all the handicaps. He makes it seem like we are...
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...break laws. The state is seen as a ‘night watchman’ and exists only to preserve the liberties of civil society. This is seen by Classical Liberals as a society in which individuals are allowed the most possible freedom to the extent to which they do not interfere with any other person’s freedom as the ‘harm principle’, written by J.S Mill suggests. This form of freedom is known as ‘negative liberty’ or freedom ‘from’ any external constraints. According to Thomas Hobbes using negative liberty, "a free man is he that in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do is not hindered to do what he hath the will to do". The opposite style of government to this is what is known as the ‘enabling state’. The government has increasing more influence upon the people and often establishes certain methods of welfare to ensure that all have an equal amount of opportunities or liberties. This can manifest itself in the form of institutions such as ‘free health care’ as was established in Britain in 1948. Free schooling is also provided in certain enabling states, as well as certain welfare allowances such as disability benefits, or child benefits. This form of welfare is known as ‘cradle to grave’ welfare and its resulting freedom is known as ‘positive liberty’ or freedom ‘to’ act to fulfil one’s own potential. Modern Liberals in contrast to Classical Liberals believe that everyone should...
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...of the most influential concepts in the development of the U.S constitutional government is the freedom of the people, freedom to petition, and the separation of powers. The freedom of the people has been a key factor in the development of the U.S. constitutional. In this form of democracy, the people have the power. This was important to the development of the government because it gives people the hand in the way they want to live. They vote on who they choose to lead them, different laws they want to follow so they don’t feel like they are being controlled by the government or one appointed ruler. Another concept that was influential to the constitutional government of the U.S. is the freedom of petition. This is another way that the people have freedom. It was written in English Bill of Rights that that citizens had the right to petition the king without fear of arrest. It gives people the freedom of speech, to speak their mind without worrying about being arrested and prosecuted. When adding this to the constitutional government, it gave more power and freedom to the people. The separation of powers is the final key concept in the development of the U.S. government. The separation of powers is a big concept because it limits the power one person has. It divides the powers between different people, so one person doesn’t make all the decisions. In the U.S. government the power is separated by different branches, and each branch has its own job it has to...
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...AnRachel Breuer An American History of Freedom Throughout history, the word “freedom” has taken on many definitions. After all, freedom is a relative concept in general. There is no one set definition, as the word itself changes over time and is based off the society in which the word is being applied. As Eric Foner points out, “The Story of American freedom is not simply a saga of a fixed set of rights to which one group after another has gained access, but a tale of debates, disagreements and struggles, with lots of bumps and wrong turns along the way.” Throughout our history, America has been through several wars and problems, each causing a change in its definition of freedom; helping form the free country that it is today. Freedom has always been a topic in the American way of life. This does not mean however, that freedom has meant the same thing to all Americans at all points in time. In fact, over time, the focus of freedom has changed dramatically over time. During the American Revolution, soon-to-be Americans fought in the name of liberty and independence. Britain had always had a view of freedom as the submission to authority. When Americans arrived on the land, they realized this was no longer appropriate. Thomas Jefferson maid this clear as liberty was included as one of the “unalienable rights” in the Declaration of Independence. (http://www.dannyscl.net/academic/). The problem, however, is that the Declaration of Independence asserted that “all men are created...
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...Friedrich Nietzsche conveys his view on freedom in short, provocative statements dispersed throughout his writings. In this essay, I will discuss Nietzsche’s conception of freedom as presented in two of his works: The Genealogy of Morals and The Gay Science. To begin, in Section 12 from The Genealogy of Morals, Nietzsche introduces to us the term, “will to power” (GM, pg 78) with which he uses synonymously with the term, “instinct for freedom” in latter sections of the essay. Although Nietzsche never clearly defines what he means when he says, “will to power,” he provides the reader a depiction of this concept through the origin of punishment. According to Nietzsche, the concept of punishment contains an aspect that is enduring and an aspect that is fluid (GM, pg 79). In other words, the act of punishing remains the same, but the meaning of the act changes radically over time. For example, while the barbarians of ancient time may have used punishment as a “festival, namely as the rape and mockery of a finally defeated enemy,” modern morality uses punishment as “a means of rendering harmless, or preventing further harm” or even “as the isolation of a disturbance of equilibrium (GM, pg 80). Thus, Nietzsche shows that the significance of punishment is not the act itself, but the meaning that we attach to it. Because the meaning of punishment is independent of the act itself, we can essentially understand...
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