The
Four Freedoms were goals articulated by US President Franklin D.
Roosevelt on January 6, 1941. In an address known as the Four
Freedoms speech (technically the 1941 State of the Union address), he
proposed four fundamental freedoms that people "everywhere in
the world" ought to enjoy:
⚫ Freedom
of speech and expression
⚫ Freedom
of worship
⚫ Freedom
from want
⚫ Freedom
from fear
His
inclusion of the latter two freedoms went beyond the traditional US
Constitutional values protected by its First Amendment, and endorsed
a right to economic security and an internationalist view of foreign
policy. They also anticipated what would become known decades later
as the "human security" paradigm in social science and
economic development. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Freedoms)
The
question—How free do you feel to “be happy” and enjoy life?—
makes me tremble for I am well aware to the extent that I feel
untested. My life has been pretty much like that shown in the
Normal Rockwell depiction of the four freedoms:
 |
| Freedom of Speech |
 |
| Freedom of Worship |
 |
| Freedom from Want |
 |
| Freedom from Fear |
I
can only guess how those suffering from racial hatred and
discrimination in America must have felt when they heard FDR's speech
in January of 1941. But for me personally the paintings show
very aptly the blessings I have received and have taken for normalcy
all my life. Any impositions on any of these freedoms at anytime
were largely self-imposed.
Thus
I feel free to “be happy” and enjoy life but I also understand
full-well how all this could change and, indeed, has never existed
for many in the world. “Eternal vigilance” and evangelism are
required but the forms such vigilance and evangelism should take are
never obvious; and even when obvious are too often not performed.
Sometimes our very contentment and happiness testify against
us.
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