Saturday column: What does freedom mean to you?

By Jennifer J. Foster

Published: July 6, 2009

I hope you had a wonderful Independence Day weekend.

I spent it with family and friends and participated in a patriotic program that celebrated America’s heritage in song. I was reminded many times of the incomprehensible sacrifices that have been made, over and over again, throughout the generations—not only to win our freedom as Americans, but also to secure it.

I was particularly struck by this quote folded into the program, from President John F. Kennedy: “The price of freedom has always been high. But Americans have always paid it.“

And that, my fellow citizens, is why we Americans are Americans.

My most recent column for the Opelika-Auburn News appeared in the newspaper on Saturday. It is not yet available on the News web site, but I wanted to share it with you while the celebrations of our country’s independence are still fresh on our minds.

Here it is.

Freedom.

What does it mean to you?

I don’t mean in scholarly terms. I mean in terms of your life.

I will admit that I am guilty, as I suspect most Americans are, of taking the word and its concept for granted. Freedom is and has always been part and parcel of my life to the extent that I don’t often think about those who face and fight tyranny every day.

But all that has changed over the past two weeks, since Iranians have been protesting their country’s highly suspect presidential election. As I’ve watched the shaky video clips from protests and listened to the fright of terrorized citizens turn to anger and outrage, I’ve thought a lot about freedom and what it really means – probably more, I’m sad to say, than I ever have.

So what is freedom? Is it the ability to do something, or is it a protection against doing something?

Is it both? Or is it something different – or more?

It’s hard to imagine that Americans could learn much about freedom from Iranians. But I have.

For example, yes, freedom is about self-determination. But it’s also about courage. It’s about responsibility, and it’s about resolve.

You likely heard about a young Iranian woman named Neda. You probably saw pictures of her, lying in the street in a pool of blood. She was shot to death at a protest.

The Iranian militia is running amok against the people, protestors are disappearing by the dozens and reporters are being arrested and thrown out of the country left and right.

Neda was one of the hundreds of thousands who knew full well the dangers beyond their walls, but protested anyway.

Here in America, where speech and peaceful assembly are protected by the Constitution, it’s all but impossible for us – thank God – to grasp what’s going on in Iran.

Then it hit me: If I knew that similar dangers existed if I spoke out against my government, would I still raise my voice?

Would you?

President Lincoln talked in the Gettysburg Address about “a new birth of freedom.” Lincoln had seen the nation torn in two and men and women enslaved by their fellow citizens. Lincoln was faced with piecing back together a country when there weren’t many folks on either side too thrilled about the idea of making up and going on with those who were imprisoning, maiming and killing their friends.

But the reality is that in America, freedom is always a work in progress. We set about every day perfecting it, redefining it in terms of our priorities and those things for which we are willing to stand up and fight.

If you ever feel that your life has fallen into a rut, stop and think about that for a minute. You are redefining freedom every day.

As you celebrate Independence Day today, take some time to think about what independence – what freedom – means to you. If you had a wish for your country on her 233rd birthday, what would it be? E-mail me your comments at . I’ll post some on the blog.

And above all, as you celebrate your country and your freedom today, remember that the best gift you can give your country is the best of yourself, her son or daughter.

Happy birthday, America.