Friday, July 1, 2011

WHAT FREEDOM MEANS TO ME - THE FOUR FREEDOMS

Today's post is in conjunction with the Blog-A-Licious Blog Tour, a fantastic blog hop that brings together bloggers of all genres, backgrounds and locations. In today's hop, the blog featured before #14 "Karen V. Wasylowski...but I Digress" is #13 Bryant Dennis.   The blog featured after "Karen V Waslowski...but I Digress"" is #15 Spilt Milk.   Do stop by and say hello plus some of us are having giveaways and contests. Enjoy!  Websites listed below.



1775: Circa June 15

Sarah Deming to Sally Coverley

Sarah Winslow Deming (1722–1788) was born in Massachusetts, the daughter of John and Sarah Winslow, and, as this letter attests, she was a terrified witness to the very beginnings of the American Revolution. The troops she referred to were British, and this letter to her niece was a vivid reminder that the war would be fought not in far-off battlefields, but on the colonists' doorsteps.

My Dear Niece

On Tuesday evening 18 April we were informed that the companies were in motion, that the men of war boats were rowed round to Charlestown ferry, Barton's point and bottom of ye common, that the soldiers were run thro the streets on tip toe (the moon not having risen) . That whatever other business they might have, the main was to take possession of the bodies of Mess. Adams & Hancock whom they & we knew where they were lodged.

Early on Wednesday the fatal 19th April before I had quited my chamber one after another came running to tell me that the kings troops had fired upon and killed 8 of our neighbors at Lexington in their way to Concord.

Towards morning I fell into a profound sleep, from which I was waked by Mr. Deming between 6 and 7 o. c. informing me that I was Gen. Gage's prisoner all egress & regress being cut off between the town and the country. Here again description fails. No words can paint my distress—I feel it at this instant (just eight weeks after) so sensibly that I must pause before I proceed.



Many of us in America are so accustomed to our wonderful lifestyle that we forget the sacrifices made over the years, the lives that have been forfeit and the families that have been destroyed.  This poor woman and her terror at soldiers running through the streets of her city, an American city, is a witness to the freedoms that that revolution strove to create for us.  The Four Freedoms.

Freedom of Speech,   Freedom of Worship,   Freedom from Want,  Freedom from Fear

It seems to me that each day of our country's existence one or all of these Four Freedoms has been denied to someone, somewhere. That is truly appalling. 

But, the very fact that these Four Freedoms of ours are fought for each day by us, in the open, through the courts, through the press or through shouted discussion at the top of our lungs, is a testament that the Great American Experient is still alive, is still viable. 

Our country may have many, many flaws, but it is still the only one I'd be proud to call home.

1. Sonia Rumzi - http://soniarumzi.com/
2. DK Levick - http://dklevick.wordpress.com/
3. Dora - http://peacefrompieces.blogspot.com/
4. Karen - http://britsunited.blogspot.com/
5. La Vonya - http://www.battered-not-broken.blogspot.com/
6. Jim - http://holesinmysoles.blogspot.com/
7. Jennifer - http://remembernewvember.blogspot.com/
8. Lucy - http://lifethrulucylasticaslense.blogspot.com/
9. Shelley - http://bookfare.blogspot.com/
10. Ryder - http://ryderislington.wordpress.com/
11. Janki - http://janukulkarni.blogspot.com/
12. Tosh - http://totsymae.com/
13. Dennis - http://www.bryanrdennis.com/
14. Karen - http://karenvwasylowski.blogspot.com/
 15. Roy - http://royd-spiltmilk.blogspot.com/
16. Dora - http://blogaliciousblogs.blogspot.com/

7 comments:

Shelley Workinger said...

It's funny, isn't it, that America was a great experiment? And look at her now :)

Sonia Rumzi said...

I am touched and in awe of the way you conveyed your thoughts of freedom. It is true what we take for granted. Indeed we should never. Thank you.

Karen V. Wasylowski said...

We are all so lucky to be here and I think after the last few years we are even starting to understand that.

Bryan R. Dennis said...

Hi. New follower here, stopping by for the Blogalicious freedom hop. Great post on freedom. You're right. Freedom is an eternal battle. The moment we stop fighting for it, is the moment we lose it.

Totsymae said...

Karen, the more I read what everyone's definition of freedom is, I have to consider where they come from because the definition will vary according to culture. What do you think?

Roy Durham said...

great post. i am running out of ink and words. thank you for being on the tour god bless

Unknown said...

This was an insightful reminder. Thank you for your wonderful post and for joining the blog tour.
Best wishes - Dora
http://pandorapoikilos.com