Thanks For Freedom

Freedom... so easily overlooked and taken for granted. Yet throughout history and through the accounts of valiant survivors from injustice events, we learn of its priceless and valuable gift. Recently reading “The Book of Negroes” I have renewed my appreciation for liberty. We are given equal rights for all races and genders. Countless opportunities such as being able to obtain an education, participate in votes and determine our own future come only because of being free. Through time, these opportunities and gifts have been slowly losing meaning and value in our society. Do we not appreciate the sacrifices of our ancestors and courageous men who have stood up to antagonists to attain such things? We need to look back upon yesterdays where those not as fortunate as ourselves have been under imprisoning bondage. Today, we live luxuriously, continue to prosper and build promising and bright futures. Without freedom all our remarkable and extraordinary opportunities would vanish. I am with no doubt grateful for freedom.

The Dangers of Unresponsiveness.

“The Lottery”, by Shirley Jackson, contains an appalling end. In this concluding scene a young girl is violently stoned by people that appeared so ordinary and normal. Similar occurrences have happened throughout history. The Holocaust, Rwanda and the Civil Rights Movement took place in a civilized world. Millions of lives were persecuted by educated and cultured individuals. Those lives should have been saved from enraged and traumatized people. But they were not. The outside world was not even angered or shaken. They stood immobilized to the fact that horrifying acts were taking place. This was the case demonstrated in “The Lottery”.

Elie Wiesel’s speech, “The Perils of Indifference”, also conveys circumstances were normal people were insensitive and did not react to the horrific plight of others. Elie warns of the dangers of apathy. There are countless times in history where cases of cruel and extreme hatred to innocent people have caused sadistic suffering to them. All of these cases should have been prevented by the intervention of shaken and infuriated humans. But like the townspeople in “The Lottery” man has been insensitive to these events. Elie continues his warning that because of the world’s lack of concern, thousands of people have suffered. We must learn from the lessons of yesterdays and reach out to anguished and afflicted people.