Abraham Lincoln once said, "Freedom is the last, best hope of Earth." What does this mean to you?
As long as I can remember, my mother took me to the Memorial Day and 4th of July parades. Whenever the veterans would march by, I was instructed to stand up and clap. When I was younger, this confused me because I didn't understand why this ritual occurred. My parents told me that it was a sign of respect for the patriots who had committed their lives in defense of our freedoms. Their dedication to the cause of liberty inspired me to write my own declaration on freedom one 4th of July, praising our ability to determine our own fate.
Freedom, above all else, means the right to choose. I have never lived under an oppressive regime, but my grandparents had immigrated to the United States from Yugoslavia to escape persecution for their beliefs. In this country, we enjoy many freedoms: the freedom of religion, the freedom of speech, the freedom to protest, and more. These are necessary to the betterment of society because without freedom, we cannot have an open discourse of thoughts, and without the right to express our ideas, we cannot have progress. The continued success of our species relies on our freedom to experiment, to learn, and to converse.
Freedom is often taken for granted, but it needs to be guarded, protected, and strengthened, so that it can withstand repeated assault. My grandfather and my great-grandfather both served in the military to protect and defend freedom at home and abroad. In my daily life, I try to foster civil discussions and listen without judgment. I work for our local state representative, even though he is a Democrat and I lean more Republican, because we both seek to protect the freedoms of our constituents. By listening and respecting the opinions and ideas of others, I hope to continue to nurture freedom, so as to fulfill the mandate given to this country by Abraham Lincoln.
• Stephen Vasiljevic is a 2021 graduate of Glenbrook North High School and will attend the College of William & Mary in the fall, where he plans to major in economics.
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Essay: Freedom must be protected, not taken for granted - Chicago Daily Herald
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