WHAT IS FREEDOM? I did not understand President Bush’s
inauguration speech. He used the word “freedom” twenty-seven
times, but what freedom means to him was not clear. Words can
mean different things to different people and freedom is an
example of that. To some people freedom means no responsibility.
To others it means having power and ability to assume
responsibility. Is it freedom to be taken care of, or does
freedom mean to be able to take care of oneself? Is a baby free
before it is born when it has no responsibility for its own
physical needs, or is it free when it has been released from the
confinement of the womb and must begin to do for itself? Does
freedom mean we are free to use the Bible as a guide to our
behavior? Or does it mean freedom from God? "Freedom" is a good
word, but it cannot stand alone. It needs an implied or stated
explanation and that was not evident in President Bush’s speech.
When a prisoner is allowed to leave his place of confinement, he
gains his freedom from jail. Those who k