Freedom is an extremely broad idea that is difficult to define. Everyone has their own idea of what freedom truly is. Many people say they would do whatever it takes to achieve to goal of true freedom, but how far will they really go for their rights? The general definition of “freedom” might be racial equality, equal rights, and gender equality. Just for this one idea, people have gone as far as risking their lives and the lives of everyone around them.
In the movie The Power of One they discuss freedom by showing the disrespect towards the indigenous tribes by the Afrikaans and English. The writers of this film accurately represent the inequality present during this time period as well as the lives of the ones daring enough to stand up for their rights. The character P.K is targeted because he is helping the less fortunate tribes and educating them. The Afrikaaners chase after people like P.K because they do not believe these tribes should have the same opportunities as they and the English do. People like P.K are greatly appreciated by the indigenous tribes because they fought with them against the government for equality.
Martin Luther King discusses his views on equality in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by describing how treatment of African Americans in America is unconstitutional since “all men are created equal” (King 325). They are treated as animals while Whites are treated as human beings. King states “There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation” which says that crimes in African American neighborhoods are not taken as seriously as the ones in white neighborhoods might be (King 321) Martin Luther King stood up for the rights of colored people and would let nothing stand in his way. He believed racial equality and equal rights was what constituted true freedom.
The “Four Freedoms Speech” by Franklin D Roosevelt is another great piece on discussing the issue of inequality. Roosevelt stated that there are four different ideas that make up “freedom,” and they are; freedom of speech, religion, want, and fear. Roosevelt believes those four freedoms all join together in creating the general idea of freedom. Roosevelt states that these freedoms should be enforced all over to create worldwide happiness.
In “Revolution 2.0” by Wael Ghonim freedom is being discussed by talking about the injustice of a murder. Ghonim took part in creating the Facebook page “January 25” about an Egyptian man who was killed at the hands of security forces. Ghonim states that he was arrested for holding protests to support the death of this man. He stood up for what he believed was right. Ghonim would define freedom as cherishing the lives of each person no matter their ethnicity, beliefs, or gender. Ghonim was willing to go as far as getting himself arrested in order to prove his point about inequality.
The idea of freedom is an extremely broad topic to discuss. There are so many different ways to describe what constitutes true freedom. Many people have gone as far as ending up in jail and even risking their lives to better the lives that will come after them. Freedom is the equality of all people and giving everyone the same respect. People have done a tremendous amount so that everyone would be able to live in peace in unison without segregation.