Wednesday, June 16, 2010

What does Freedom Mean to Me?

I am late for the COAAG 4th Edition and nothing has made me remotely interested in Twitter or Tweets until FreedomTweet 2010.  Still not going there - why use a few words when so many wonderful ones are available?

But in honor of Juneteenth, and in support of what I hope will be thousands of FreedomTweets, let me share...

Freedom is a legacy from my grandparents who left Europe so their children and grandchildren might have better lives.  I owe it to them to work towards ensuring that others have the same opportunities to come to this country they had.

I rejoice that the descendants of those who did not come freely to this nation, who were enslaved by my ancestors and many others, are today free to join in building a more perfect union.  I celebrate their voices and contributions.

Freedom is choice.  I am free to worship as I wish; free to live where I choose; free to choose my friends and communities; free to speak my mind; free to help where I see a need.  I am free to do all or none of these things as long as I leave others the same freedom.

I rejoice in each step toward healing the bitter rifts from slavery, ethnic and religious prejudices.  I celebrate every hand that reaches out through fear and anger, and every hand that accepts it.