Freedom Definition Essay

Words: 1036
Pages: 5

What is freedom? The literal definition of freedom is, “the quality or state of being free: such as the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action.” Freedom at its literal meaning is that one is free to do whatever he or she desires. However, there are quite obvious and common-sense restrictions on “whatever”. For example, murder, robbery, and harassment are punishable offenses. Basic laws in today’s society allows anyone from high school to Congress to get into arguments over whether or not America is “free”. A high school boy falls on the defense of freedom of speech after swearing at his teacher. A congressman pleads the 5th after ties to foreign leader’s pockets are found. Can freedom and laws against certain acts …show more content…
The fight for equality did not stop there. The movement gained popularity again in the 1960’s when groups like the Redstockings were advocating for equal employment opportunity. One big area of concern was in the military. As a chairman of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services says, “It is doubtful that a military system which does not itself provide equality of opportunity for its own members can truly ensure… freedom for its country’s citizens.” Basically, unless a country has free individual citizens fighting abroad for so-called freedom is pointless. Freedom for a country as a whole is not enough. The military is not just protecting men; therefore, it should not be employed by only men. Equal employment was a driving issue of the women’s movement in the 1960’s. The supporters believed it was unfair for people to be discriminated against based by their sex. Suffragettes have left an everlasting mark on the country. As the Deputy Director of the Women’s Rights Division reviews, “The Women’s Marches on all continents spurred some five million people to take to the street to demand equality and freedom from violence. Millions posted …show more content…
Many law officials objected changes such as the 19th Amendment and the Equal Rights Amendment due to favoring traditional gender roles. A Chairman of the Democratic Caucus says, “The mother's influence is needed in the home. She can do little good by gadding the streets and neglecting her children. Let her teach her daughters that modesty, patience, and gentleness are the charms of a women.” A woman’s place was simply at home. They should be responsible for taking care of the children not be out and about having jobs and involving themselves in politics. Anti-rights groups claim, “The men are able to run the government and take care of the women. Do women have to vote in order to receive the protection of man? Why, men have gone to war, endured every privation and death itself in defense of woman. To man, woman is the dearest creature on earth.” They believed women should be subordinate to a man. It is the man’s job to be the bread winner and the woman’s job to accept an be grateful for his loyalty and protection. Conservatives who oppose women’s rights claim a woman’s freedom would destroy society’s peace and order. “statistics go to show that in most equal suffrage states, Colorado particularly, that divorces have greatly increased since the adoption of the equal suffrage amendment, showing that it has been a home destroyer.”