Freedom: Why it's important

   The word freedom comes with a lot of different opinions, phrases, and realities, but there are always some that speak to me  personally. I believe that we all have our own definition of freedom, and that is perfectly okay. In the end, we are not a perfect country and we'll always have differences of opinion and ongoing arguments focused on the intersections of religion, politics, and personal beliefs. There are also many types of freedom.  Some of my favorites include  internal/external freedom, personal freedom, and the premise that all human beings are equal in dignity and rights.

First,  personal freedom is very meaningful to me. Everyone should strive for personal freedom. Without personal freedom, one is unable to freely be themselves and show who they truly are. For example, in the video "Morgana Bailey: The Danger of Hiding Who You are" Morgana announces that she has been hiding something over the years  - she was a lesbian.  She further exclaimed that she used to be very outgoing, but she became the opposite over the years.  She told herself that it was because of maturity.

Personal freedom is also important to me because I believe it is important to align your beliefs and actions. If you know what you want, you're not going to let others make decisions for you or influence you to act against your beliefs. In the article "Malala's heroic Stand Against the Taliban," Mary Sanchez explains the story of Malala (18 year old public figure from Pakistan) and how she believes that women need an education.  Malala used what she believed in to inspire others. The importance of personal freedom is to allow everyone to be there own self.


Secondly, internal/external freedom is having freedom through thought and reason and the freedom to deliberate and decide. This is sometimes difficult if your personal beliefs conflict with the law or majority opinion.  In both the article and video on this topic of Malala, her country frowned upon women getting an education. It shared how both Malala and her father made decisions to better their life and to be an inspiration to others by acting on their belief that women should be educated. It is important to me because I want to be able to make decisions for myself based on my beliefs.


Lastly, Article One from the Bill of Rights is important to me. Article One states that "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed in reason and conscience and should act towards one another toward brotherhood." To me, this means that we are all equal. This is important to me because I believe we should all be treated the same, no matter our differences. In the video "My Daughter Malala," Malala's father exclaims that her daughter was shot in the head on her way home from school because people in Pakistan didn't agree with her opinion on education. Not only did he mention this, but he also stated that women are only seen as homemakers/care-givers and that they are not allowed to get an education because they feel that its the mens job to have one.
   
Of all of the different types of freedom,  the most important to me are internal / external freedom, personal freedom, and Article One of the Bill of Rights.