Do We Have Freedom In America?

Question

i may not be as old as most but i really dont know. most people in america say we have freedom but do we actually have freedom. the dictionary defines it as liberty of the person from slavery,detention, or opression. if George Bush Says america is free then why do we have to pay taxes, go to jail,prison, or be proscuted over something we do not do. why cant the press tell us what really going on in iraq or bagdhad. see we are not free we are being lied to constanly. but why are we being kept of secrets. do you think we are free if so why..if you do not think we are free then why?. i may be only 14 years old but i just want to know what peoples opinion is of Freedom in America.

Answer 1

No.

Answer 2

We are more free than any other country, but no we're not completely free.  Complete freedom is simply anarchy, and that is not a good thing.

Answer 3

Spend some time in Cuba, North korea, other such countries then you will know for sure.

Answer 4

Until all the people of the United State are consider equal, the prejudices in the country are gone. How the h**l can you say you have freedoms?

As an onlooker you think your freedoms include intolerance, degradation and prejudice and abuse. I just don't see that as freedom.

Freedom to me means tolerance, acceptance and everyone working together for the good of all. People accepting that we will never all feel the same and knowing that is okay. That is how we have progressed, opening ourselves to idea outside our own. An open mind is the breeding grounding to intelligence, I do believe that. I know many won't. oh well!

Answer 5

With freedom comes personal responsibility.  We are free, but we MUST take responsibility for what we do while we're free.  If we do things that hurt others intentionally, we should have our freedom taken away so we can either be punished or so that we cannot hurt anyone else in the same manner.  Does that make sense?

AS far as the press not really being able to tell us what's really going on in Iraq or Baghdad, sometimes that has to do with the safety of our troops over there.  Radio waves don't stop at borders, and the enemy can be watching the news to find out "what's really going on."  Not only that, but news people are what is called gate keepers, and they make the decision as to what they want you to know.  This is how they shape public opinion, and it's why they've gained the nickname "the fourth estate."

The bottom line is, if you think you have it bad in America, you should visit other countries.  I knew a woman who lived in Saudi Arabia for a few years and she told stories of seeing amputated hands and feet nailed to the front doors of the amputees' houses, chopped off for crimes they may or may not have committed.  The trial lasted five minutes and the chopping lasted five seconds.

There's no way around it - America may not always be perfectly fair, but it's one of the best places in the world to live despite the shortcomings.

Answer 6

Freedom isn't really popular these days, everyone thinks they know whats best for you.

Answer 7

Yes we do. That doesn't mean, however, that you aren't subject to the rules and regulations that maintain an orderly society. As far as paying taxes, do you want schools, roads, government, etc.?  Prosecuted for something you didn't do? You are entitled to your day in court and  a jury of your peers. The press has nothing to do with your freedom. They are simply exercising their freedom of speech. Now, if you want to test it, try any other country the free ones) and you will soon learn that we do indeed have freedom in America.

Answer 8

Yes we really  are free in this country. There is a limit to how much the media can reveal in any war since it may endanger our soldiers lives or tip off the enemy to what we are doing, it is not a repression, more of common sense. Not only that there are some in the media who want to paint a really bad picture of the war in Iraq and they do not want to print anything positive.

You are free to do as you wish, just understand there are consequences for your actions good or bad. There are laws in place to prevent complete anarchy. We pay taxes so that this country can function, although we are overtaxed since our government spends too much.

There are laws  to deter someone from just coming up and taking your iPod because he wanted it. You are free to speak your mind, post questions like this one on the web, eat what you want and make your own way in life. Become whatever you wish to in life. If you get a chance to in your life go visit other countries and compare just how much freedom we truly have in the country.

Answer 9

Just think what this country would be like without ANY types of social control (laws, police, government, judicial system, etc.) Would the majority of people comform to norms, that is always do what is right and morall/ethically acceptable? Who then would protect you or anyone from those who don't? Or, would there be mass chaos?

What do YOU think would happen?

And also, when you look at the freedoms we enjoy inthe U.S. as opposed to any other country in the world, could you honestly say that you would rather live anywhere else?

>Middle East- You can be stoned to death for not praying to Allah at the prescribed times.

>South America - You cannot drink the water and it will not take you long to know what it really means to fear the police.

>Canada, France - If you get a life-threatening illness, tough, you will have to apply to the government and be approved before you can recieve healthcare.

>Netherlands and most of Europe- you will pay up to 51% of your income to the government in taxes.

>China - You have a government so paowerful they can mandate how many children you can legally have and the law can decide how much money you are ALLOWED to make every year.

Answer 10

Keep working on that spelling, you're free to improve or not. That's an inalienable right.

And don't keep letting yourself be uninformed. We pay taxes to support government programs, we go to jail when we are convicted of crimes, or are awaiting trial for crimes, the press can't tell you what's going on in Tennessee, let alone another country.

Answer 11

No we are not free. I am against the idea of modern america. we go into other countries where we dont belong and blow them up. its none of our business. i completly agree with you. we are not free. taxes, jail...does that sound free to you?

Answer 12

Freedom is the right to think, speak and act as you wish.

There are and should be consequences to your actions but, not for the others.

Without consequences or punishment for actions which disrupt the peace, hurt other people or take other peoples rightful property crime would be everywhere much worse than it is now.

Humans are not inherently good. That’s why it is the responsibility of our parents to raise us to be good people. To respect others and not steal or lie.

The ability to do all of this is freedom.

When a government starts taking your hard earned money to pay for those who won’t work or won’t stay out of trouble to get an education and earn their own money, freedom starts slowly slipping away.

The government starts spending too much of our money on everyone else and everything starts to stop working. Someone must then clamp down and stop the free handouts and that is when things get real bad.

Taxes are needed to pay those who protect us and serve us in a public capacity and to upkeep our infrastructure (roads, bridges etc), but not to pay for everyone else’s healthcare.

Right now we do have freedom but… I don’t know how long that will last.

Answer 13

Freedom is something with multiple definitions.  We are free to do anything we want, insofar as we do not infringe on the rights of others, i.e. murder denies another's right to live.  Wrongful prosection is part of the problem with our system.

Answer 14

if your rich only they rest of us are slaves 50 hour work week no health care taxed 3 times over and arrested and or tazed if i complain or try to make changes the Egyptian slaves even got treated better more time off health care and free beer and bread granted the boss carried a whip but at least they were taken care of anyone does not believe this look it up in archeology they even got buried better,

Answer 15

As much as the "White allows it"

Answer 16

NO, not in any sense do we have freedom. We do have the ILLUSION of freedom. But everyday it seems that our Constitutional Rights are trodden upon more and more. Why??? Most of the things you ask about are that way so the GOV can more easily control the mindless masses. Divide and conquer...Want some examples? Crips and Bloods, at first these gangs were all black, and killing each other for whatever reason. Cocaine, money, dealing turf...Nortenos, Surenos, Mexicans killing Mexicans for REPRESENTING either the North or the South. Not even living there...just representing. The differences they have or had are small, almost meaningless, but somehow they become things to kill over. What we see on the news although not entirely accurate, is all some people ever see of the world, and thus they believe what they see. Too bad ignorance doesnt wear off, too bad we dont grow out of it...

PS you do not have to pay taxes. Well not Federal Income Tax. There is no law that forces you to file a 1040. Pay your State taxes and sales tax, you will be a good Citizen. Otherwise LOOK IT UP, paying Federal Taxes on Wages is VOLUNTARY!

FYI the Fed Gov does not take your tax dollars and redistribute them to the poor. The Fed Tax  dollars on Income Tax directly finance the Military Fund, State Tax dollars go to social programs, education, welfare and so on...LOOK IT UP!!!