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11 Inspirational Quotes about Freedom

June 30, 2022/Jill L. Ferguson/No Comments

Freedom is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as the “power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint; absence of subjucation to foreign domination or depositc government; the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.” As we head into Independence Day weekend in the United States, think about freedom and what it means to you. Do you feel like freedom in some areas of your life is being eroded away, or do you feel like you’re freer than you’ve ever been?

We live in a time where women’s reproductive choice and health care is suddenly not so free, and where LBGQTIA+ people are suddenly feeling like their freedom to marry may run out. States are being granted more power, but it’s been a long time since we have been a “United States” of America. Division is more common than unity and war on all its levels is more common than peace.

That is the other reason that freedom has been on my mind this week. Are we as a society really free if those around us suffer?

We have been free for generations to use and abuse the earth. But if the earth gets too hot for us to inhabit its many places, or if portions of the land end up immersed in the oceans, what is the cost of our freedom—to us and to the planet?

Last week, we wrote about how to create a summer of purpose. Maybe one more way to create a summer of purpose—that we didn’t include on last week’s list—is to figure out ways to stand up for freedom for everyone in our country. In what area do you feel most oppressed? In what ways do you want to be free?

I searched all over the internet to find what others had to say about freedom, including what it is and what it is not, and freedom-related topics. The sources quoted with the images are from a wide range of fields and comprise a small group of commenters on this topic. Many more exist. Feel free to add your favorite quotes about freedom to the comments section of this blog.