Essay winners share stories
Liberty to Live
By LINDSAY WIEBE
PBHS student
From the time I was small to where I am now in life, I have always been able to demonstrate my freedom in some fashion or another. Although while I was young, I didn't know about the freedom I was privileged to encounter everyday, I have since learned and have appreciated it more and more as I am growing up. As a result, I am thankful for the liberty that I am allowed to express in my life everyday as an American citizen.
According to the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights, I have the freedom to express my voice in the world. Children are no longer shunned to speak out when they feel violated against, but they are encouraged to do so. I have experienced expressing this right within my own family. If I feel that I have the need to express my views on a certain topic, I do so whole-heartedly. Furthermore, in school, I am also aware of my Freedom of Speech when I am allowed to speak my views during classes that encourage debate over controversial subjects. Therefore, because of the Freedom of Speech in the First Amendment, I am able to demonstrate my freedom in verbal communication.
Along with the Freedom of Speech, the First Amendment also states that I have the right to meet with other people. I am a Christian, and I demonstrate this freedom every week while I attend church with my community. This right allows me to be able to meet with other Christians and let it be known publicly. I do not have to be afraid that the police are going to barge in while we are worshipping in church because I am protected by the Bill of Rights. Moreover, I am also realizing the Freedom to Assemble in my life as I am on the brink of choosing where to attend college. I appreciate that I have the freedom to select where I'm going to head off next year. The government is not going to force me to enroll in a school that I have no desire in attending. Therefore, because of the Freedom to Assemble, I am able to worship and study in places without fear.
Additionally, I have many other freedoms in my life that I am able to demonstrate daily. Unlike in other countries where the government forces people to wear tunics and head coverings, in America, I have the right to choose the outfits I feel like wearing for whatever the circumstances. Also, I demonstrate my freedom by allowing my talents and interests to grow and help me out as a citizen. Because of this, I have the freedom to choose the path right for me for the future and not one that has been passed down throughout the generations if it is not the type of thing I want to pursue in life. Therefore, because of the freedoms offered in America, I am able to survive as myself.
In conclusion, the freedoms that I demonstrate during my lifetime have allowed me to become a better American citizen. I have the right to express my freedom, and the country that I dwell in allows me to achieve it. Therefore, I am thankful that I have the honor to live in the great United States of America. And, as our National Anthem so proudly states, it truly is "the land of the free."
Forever Free
By KALI ALSTROM
PBHS student
America is known around the world for the type of political system our great nation follows. But just as well known is the United States Constitution, which allows the people of this great nation numerous rights and freedoms that many citizens of other countries only dream about. These freedoms allow for the diverse cultural experience and the conflicting views of individuals that give our country a special flair. Individuals are allowed to express themselves through speech, religion, assembly, protest, and numerous other practices. Therefore, as a citizen of the United States of America, I am able to express my freedoms in many unique and special ways.
First of all, my appearance is one way that I am able to practice my freedom. As an American woman, I am not forced or expected to dress in certain garments so that I comply with the femme covert that many other countries practice. In fact, I am able to dress in any way that I see fitting to my person, and because of the freedom of expression that I have, no one can tell me otherwise. Having this freedom allows me to express my creativity and mood through the distinctive clothing I wear; it allows me to set myself apart from others and truly be myself. My dress is how I practice my individuality and stand out in the crowd; without this act of non-conformity, I would not feel truly different and free.
The freedom of knowledge is another one of the freedoms I am given, and one I most often take for granted. Often times, I overlook my education as something required or mandatory and forget the wonderful right I have to gain an education that many other women were not given. I can go to school and college anywhere I choose and receive a degree in any number of subjects. Additionally, I can pursue a career of my own choice and not the choice of my parents or my husband. No longer do women have to stay at home and cook and clean all day, nor are they frowned upon for seeking a career other than a homemaker. Because of freedoms such as this one, I am free to become anything I set my sights on.
Another way I practice my freedom is through my faith. Living in America allows me to practice my Christian faith free from the persecution that many religions face in other countries. In addition to being free to practice my faith, other Americans with different ethnic and cultural backgrounds are also allowed to practice their religions in a manner they believe most appropriate. Having the freedom of religion also allows me to publicly declare my faith as well as fellowship with other believers. Also, I can share my faith with those around me without fear for my life or the life of my family. Freedom of religion, in my opinion, is one of the most important rights that we, as Americans, have.
Finally, freedom, for me, comes through my words; mainly my writing. When I write, whether in school or for pleasure, I am able to express my thoughts, my feelings and my opinions. I am able to share my true self and the things I believe or don't believe about the world. Furthermore, the freedom of speech, which is the birth right of every American citizen, is another one of the most valuable rights that Americans have. Through this freedom I can agree or disagree with the actions of authorities and can show support for causes I see as just. In addition, writing gives me a positive outlet for my emotions. In my writing I can express anger, fear or love and keep it to myself or share it with those for whom I hold these feelings. Writing, I believe, brings out the truth in an individual and through truth we can all be truly free.
In conclusion, individuals in America are free to practice their freedoms in numerous ways. However, often times people abuse these rights because they forget all the freedoms they have been given and think they deserve more. Americans overlook how good they have it compared to other nations around the world. All in all, we should be grateful for our freedoms and for the men and women of our country who fought to secure those freedoms.
