Freedom

Freedom

  • Submitted By: bhays
  • Date Submitted: 04/08/2014 11:32 AM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 887
  • Page: 4



Freedom

“For to be free is not merely to cast off ones chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” – Nelson Mandela.
What is freedom? Is it being able to sleep in your bed at night peacefully? Could it just be the ability to stay out late and not have to answer to a single soul? Maybe just the fact that you can go to church on Sunday morning is freedom. Not working fast enough could result in being shot, why is that even a choice? Freedom can mean a lot of different things for different people. But there is one thing that we all need to realize, no matter what, freedom is not free.
Since I was born, I was an Air Force brat. My dad served for twenty years and I was there for about sixteen. After my dad retired from the Air Force, he took a contract job with the military to go back over to Iraq and work as a civilian. I know the true meaning of freedom. More than a lot of Americans truly do. Freedom is knowing that when I lay my head down in bed at night, I can rest peacefully. I don’t have to worry about mortars being shot at my house, or being kidnapped and taken prisoner for barter. As Americans, our freedom is safe, but only because of those who protect our country and give their lives so we can live ours. But what we don’t realize is, freedom doesn’t come free.
For years and years, there have always been prisoners who were accused of murder, but were really innocent. Joseph Burrows was found guilty for capital murder in the state of Illinois. The victim was farmer William E. Dulin, who aged to be eighty-eight before he was brutally murdered. Burrows was found guilty for a crime he never committed and was put on death row. Kathleen Zellner, Burrows attorney, convinced the real murderer to come forward with the crime so that Burrows would not be punished for what he did. Burrows was later set free and lived to die from natural causes. In my eyes, it seemed as if Burrows was actually set free. He wasn’t in a jail...

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