A Few Thoughts on American Freedom for the Weekend
The difference between "freedom from" and "freedom with"
I hope you enjoy this short audio clip describing the difference between the freedom created on July 4, 1776, and on Juneteenth: June 19, 1865. To learn more about these two iterations of freedom you can read my column “How Juneteenth Redefines Freedom.”
Text of the above audio clip
On the Fourth of July we celebrate “freedom” and America’s independence from the British, but I think it is imperative that we understand the meaning of freedom or the type of freedom America created in 1776.
1776 created a freedom from, but Juneteenth created a freedom with.
The freedom created in 1776 was a freedom from the British. It was a freedom from oppression, but it was not a type of freedom that educated people about how to responsibly exercise their freedom or share their freedom with others.
As 1776 shows, America’s freedom from encouraged white Americans to deny freedom and become the oppressors they fought to escape from. America’s freedom from is individualistic, irresponsible, and exclusionary.
Juneteenth and Reconstruction redefined American freedom as a freedom with. It worked to create a shared, responsible, and expansive freedom. Freedom became something you did with other people.
The battle between freedom from and freedom with has defined the United States since its inception, and the battle still rages today.
As we continue to celebrate freedom and the Fourth of July, we should understand that if we truly love freedom we should embrace Juneteenth just as much as, if not more than, the Fourth of July.
