The Illusion of Freedom

We live in a time where freedom is inevitable. It is a right given to you the moment you were born. Most of us want to believe that, but do we really have that right? Do we even try to give that right to our children? From the moment we learn to talk and express ourselves, we are taught to listen and obey, or should i say ordered to listen and obey? (el sama3 wel ta3a, as al ikhwan say). When parents for example ask their children to do what they've asked them to, children automatically ask "why?" most parents will reply "because i said so" or "because i am your mother" or something with the same meaning and they never answer their simple question "why?". So as you can see we want them to obey us just because we are older or because we are their parents. We are teaching them that we are superior to them. Don't get me wrong i know they should obey us, but let them do so for the right reasons, whatever the situation is there is an answer for their whys. We are depriving them from their freedom, which is something most people confuse with bad manners, most people do not understand freedom at all, but they still want it anyways. Freedom doesn't come from a revolution, or a change in the government, or even a new president. Although hopes get high at times like these, but it slowly diminishes. Faces change, yet the suffering remains. Freedom only comes when you respect the freedom of others. It has obligations as well as rights, you need to make sacrifices for the common good. You need to know that only GOD has the supreme power. We need to learn the true meaning of freedom and teach it to our children and we can't do that without giving them space to ask questions. We actually need to encourage them to ask questions, and teach them how to think for themselves. Freedom is not born in revolutions, but in homes and schools. It is a right that needs to be passed on to young generations, so please pass it on.

 US President Franklin D. Roosevelt had these goals articulated in an adress known as "The Four Freedoms Speech". He suggested four essential freedoms that people all over the world should have. Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. This is a part of his speech which i really enjoy:

"In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.

The first is freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear -- which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor-- anywhere in the world."