In honor of the holiday, we asked people in and around Berks County to answer a single question: What does “freedom” mean to you? The participants ranged in age from six to eighty-six. The best twenty-five responses were selected and listed below.
“Life, liberty, property.”
“Independence: for yourself and for your country. I mean I think my answer and a prisoner’s answer would be very different.”
“Loving whoever the hell I want to love.”
“Voting.”
“I don’t know, ask my mom.”
“Not having to share my chocolate milk with my baby brother.”
“Walking out of your house and being able to do what you want to do, I mean anything that is civilized and okay with the law. *laughs* I think that’s freedom.”
“It means a lot of things. It’s the right to leave your house and do what you want. Travel freely, walk freely, speak freely. Sharing with others, I think that’s important. Wow, I really need to travel more…”
“I think the answer is fireworks, but I also think my mom would want me to say something else. Don’t tell her I said that.”
“Is this goin’ on TV? ‘Cause if it is I have something to say: f**k the police yo.”
“Being able to do things without having to ask anyone for permission.”
“Not having to report to the government.”
“America.”
“The ability to go out and live my best life girl! You know, doing things the way I want.”
“The opposite of whatever Donald Trump stands for.”
“Ask our president. Oh and if he answers you, let me know.”
“Trump 2020!”
“Sweet sweet emancipation baby.”
“Not having to live under a communist government.”
“It means waking up every morning and getting to decide who I want to be.”
“Is it terrible if I Google it?”
“Uhmmm being able to choose and do whatever I want, of course obeying laws and stuff, but uh just the freedom of choice.”
“I think it means not being bound to a single place. You know that thing that everyone says about the birds and traveling? You know what I’m talking about, it’s like people question why don’t birds just travel the world or whatever…And then people say why don’t you? Ugh, I wish I remembered the wording. But to those who know I just want to tell you, I hate that saying, stop using it, like it doesn’t apply. Humans require passports to travel, and money; birds fly for free. Actually you know what? That’s what freedom means to me, being able to say everything I just did.”
“Wow honestly, freedom means being able to lie about having that *points to girl who gave comment above* as my sister.”
“Being an American. That’s pretty much the gist of it.”
Happy Fourth of July, everyone!
