Freedom?

Wow – my first article! First let me welcome you all to my column and I hope that you remain open-minded while reading me from time to time. I also welcome any comments or feedback that you may have, as it only enhances my knowledge. There will be columns written in Spanish as well as English so that we at Pure Politics are being inclusive of those voices as well.

For my first entry I thought I would start off with something that I wrote a few months ago. I was in New York during the attacks on September 11 and felt the need to write down all my thoughts, the events of the day as they were occurring, any actions I was taking, and whatever else popped up into my head. Then I figured I should touch on another theme first before I share those thoughts with you (so that will be next week’s entry!).

I wanted to briefly touch on a word that is being used with more frequency by our media these days – Freedom. A word used in courtrooms, on battle fields, in marches and protests, in civil rights struggles, on college campuses, in our kitchens, in our relationships, and with our children. The eternal struggle. The reason we justify war. What we wish each child was raised under. The reason this country as we know it was created and established by immigrants.

Beyond being a concept core to the daily lives of all Americans, freedom is universally considered a human value. What every global member has a right to when they join this earth. It is also being redefined by and for us ever since September 11, 2001. Freedom of expression, of religion, to bear arms. Freedom to carry tweezers in our make-up bags on planes. To publicly declare your religious beliefs and dress according to those beliefs. To ride the subway or check your mail without fearing that traces of a white powdery substance has touched it. For Afghan women to finally reveal their faces (not any other part of their bodies, simply their faces).

Naturally there are some civil freedoms that many citizens are willing to relinquish for greater safety. For the good of this country and for our protection. But how far do you think we Americans will go? The day of the attacks, as I was watching the news, a professor of International Relations stated that during war, upon leaving your house you immediately look at all sides around you. Cautiously stepping out, glancing in every direction with a heightened awareness. He said that Americans would never allow themselves to get used to living like that, the way that many of our neighbors on this earth currently do. We as Americans value our freedom so much we don’t know how to live without it. We fight for freedoms for women, minorities, gays/lesbians, animals, and anywhere we believe we see an injustice.

But freedom is defined according to where you are. If you are in a country ruled under Muslim rule, then wearing clothes that cover your body or following certain rules and laws based on your sex is not considered confining, rather obeying your God. In a socialist state, freedom of creativity and independence is considered subordinate to the general concern of all involved. In a capitalist country too much freedom could result in lack of cohesiveness and social conscience. For those born in poverty, being free to simply travel to the next town over may seem out of reach.

What about economic freedom? Political freedom? Freedom from social injustices? From abusive relationships? From foreign invaders? Are we ever really free? What are we protecting ourselves against? I think I may know. It’s not so much a war on certain individuals who killed in the name of God, but rather protecting us from being forced to change the way that we conduct our lives on a daily basis. From those who may disagree with how much freedom we demonstrate in managing our lives, our families, our country. From being forced to live in fear, under the control of war, maintained in a fixed state of mind. We are protecting our innate right to being an individual, defined by us in the manner that we so choose. Not in having it be defined for us.

Natasha Bannan is a contributing writer for PurePolitics.com and lives in New York City where she is pursuing a MBA in International Business.