Let Freedom Ring
Saying, “Let freedom ring” can sound trite with many different interpretations, depending on the listener and the agenda of the listener. Our freedoms in this country are extremely valuable and that value increases when you realize freedom is no longer there. John Adams, one of the signers on our Declaration of Independence in 1776, wrote to his wife, “I am well aware of the toil, and blood, and treasure, that it will cost us to maintain this declaration.”* There is a cost to maintain our freedoms. We have recently seen billionaires pay great amounts of money to protect some of those rights.
Free speech is not a right in many countries around the world. But with that free speech comes messages that may or may not align with history. So my encouragement is for us to revisit history with some of our unalienable rights and freedoms to review how those privileges came to be and how and when they were established.
Many of our rights were shaped by a Biblical influence as courts existed for the purpose of securing justice. Thus, the saying in our Pledge of Allegiance, “With liberty and justice for all,” was an outflow of that influence. In fact, European settlers first came to America seeking religious and economic freedom. They fought hard, shedding much blood and giving many lives to break free of the British rule of heavy taxation and governance.
After the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787, which established how a government should run, there was a movement in favor of a Bill of Rights. This Bill of Rights limited the power of the central government, protecting the rights of the individual and states. There are so many areas we could cover in a podcast about our freedoms, but we will focus here on just a few as we are reminded of the rich legacy and privileges we enjoy that were fought hard and long for.
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