Those who created this country chose freedom. With all of its dangers. And do you know the riskiest part of that choice they made? They actually believed that we could be trusted to make up our own minds in the whirl of differing ideas. That we could be trusted to remain free, even when there were very, very seductive voices - taking advantage of our freedom of speech - who were trying to turn this country into the kind of place where the government could tell you what you can and cannot do.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of individual freedom and the responsibility that comes with it.
Nat Hentoff reflects on the founding principles of the United States, specifically the choice of freedom and the inherent risks that come with it. He highlights the belief in individual autonomy and the potential dangers posed by external influences that seek to manipulate and control personal freedoms, suggesting that the essence of a free society lies in the trust placed in its citizens to navigate their own beliefs amidst diverse ideas.
In practice
This quote can be shared during a discussion on the importance of free speech in a democracy.
Whatever you may think of the proposed mosque and community center, lost in the heat of the debate has been a basic question: Should government attempt to deny private citizens the right to build a house of worship on private property based on their particular religion?
You're not free if you can't start a small business because you fear losing your health care, and you're certainly not free if a male boss or politician prevents you from making decisions about your own reproductive health.
I could never live happily in Africa-or anywhere else-until I could live freely in Mississippi.
Individuals cannot be free if there are impediments to reaching their full potential as human beings.
They were singing in French, but the melody was freedom and any American could understand that.
The anchor in our world today is freedom, holding us steady in times of change, a symbol of hope to all the world.
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