Gabriel Prieto
English 96
10-25-08
Taking Freedom for Granted
America is known as a place where there is equality amongst the citizens. In today’s
society, we are all allowed to do and say what we please, as long as its in a decent manner.
Though we all have the right to do so, some people are afraid to. These people allow themselves
to be silenced and walked over like doormats. People like this take the freedoms they have for
granted and do not use them to their full extent.
People get to express their freedoms in any manner they desire. Freedom is defined as the
power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without any restraints. “When they go out on
the streets, they do not wear shirts, or dresses, some use the flag for shorts and for trousers. But
the flag is symbolic of the country.” Mentions the anonymous speaker from I Want to Live
without Trouble. This speaker believes that Americans have too much freedom. These Americans
are able to treat their nations flag in any manner they want and not be punished. He also
complains about people on the bus, “Many people who stretch their legs on the bus don’t leave
room for other people. Some women put handbags on the seats and don’t let others sit down.”
We have the freedom to take up space, but I believe that if you need to sit, you shouldn’t be
afraid and keep it to yourself. You should use your freedom of speech to ask for the seat.I think
that we should all use the freedoms we have in any way we want.
Although most use their freedoms in a good manner, some tend to use them for a bad
cause. In Freedom, by Joyce Jarrett, when the schools become desegregated and Jarrett enters the
all white school, there are people protesting against this decision. These protesters are using their
freedom of speech and assembly to show how they are against the mixing of races, even though
these protestors are being ignorant towards equality. The freedoms given in America are...