To me freedom means everything. I want it, I desire it, I need it. Freedom is to me, able to be who I am no questions asked. Freedom to be alive, to exist as not just my real self, but to be within my real self. No chains on my existence, no bounds to hold me, no roles to play. To be nothing but my real self all the time. At work, at school, at home, out in the real world, face to face with someone I love, everywhere. For the most part I think everyone wears many masks for many differnet people. But I want REAL freedom, no more masks for anyone. I be my real self 100% regradless of anyone around me. Some say I am rude and that I shouldn't do or say things at times, I ask them this question why? Why should I care what others think ever? Why should I care if I offend someone, if I do oh well. I get offend alot at what people say, but I don't tell them cause I see it as a waste of breath to tell them. Well I have ranted long enough.
I would like to know, what does freedom mean for the rest of you?
Thanks
Bye bye

Give my my space, respect my opinion if you will, leave me alone if you don't.

I have privacy. It is mine. Leave me to it when ever I want it.

Don't tap my phone.
Don't read my email. 
Don't keep my name on your lists. 
Don't send me email or snail mail unless I know you.

Don't call me if you don't know me. 
If I ask you to leave me alone, do it.
Give me the reports you compile on me... or better yet, don't even make those reports.

Don't give my phone number or email address to anyone else.
Don't peep in my windows and I won't peep in yours.
Step one foot on my property and my dogs will get you.

I will speak my mind and allow you to speak yours.
I will not allow you to demean me or ANYONE else.

Cindi

Freedom is tied to responsibility. The more freedom the more work it takes.

Freedom.......

Well I think that freedom is the ability to be yourself without intimidation, threats or interference.

Intimidation from those who don't agree with your decisions.

Threats of physical or emotional abuse.

Interference from governmental, social, or religious groups.

As the Wiccans say 'And it harm none, do what you will.'

Quote from: Cindi Jones on July 23, 2008, 01:28:13 AM
Give my my space, respect my opinion if you will, leave me alone if you don't.

I have privacy. It is mine. Leave me to it when ever I want it.

Don't tap my phone.
Don't read my email. 
Don't keep my name on your lists. 
Don't send me email or snail mail unless I know you.

Don't call me if you don't know me. 
If I ask you to leave me alone, do it.
Give me the reports you compile on me... or better yet, don't even make those reports.

Don't give my phone number or email address to anyone else.
Don't peep in my windows and I won't peep in yours.
Step one foot on my property and my dogs will get you.

I will speak my mind and allow you to speak yours.
I will not allow you to demean me or ANYONE else.

Cindi

Right on, Cindi!!

*enters sarcastic mode*
Freedom gives me the right to be an utter jerk. To assume things when I have no idea what the truth is. To label entire groups of people that I have never come in contact with. To cause harm to people and think that it is justified because I am a total moron. To think that critical thinking is wrong and that going along with the herd is right.
*exits sarcastic mode*

I think that the idea of freedom would be served better if people knew how to handle it in a more responsible fashion.

Freedom = Sleep.

Being able to sleep at night with no pressures or tribulations to keep ones mind active with the negative consequences that may follow.

for me freedom is mainly about freedom from expectations. you expect nothing from me, i expect nothing from you and we surprise each other.

Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose.

~Kris 

Freedom means making my own rules and never being bound by anything.
Freedom means no taxes.
Freedom means doing who I want when I want.
Freedom is the open road.
Freedom is escapement.

Quote from: Nero on July 23, 2008, 05:29:51 PM
Freedom means no taxes.

Let me tell you how it will be:
There's one for you, nineteen for me.
'Cause I'm the Taxman, yeah, I'm the Taxman,
And you're working for noone but me!

~George

>

      Progressives: Social security, the minimum wage, universal health care, college for all are ways to guarantee freedom from want.
      Conservatives: Giving people things they haven't earned creates dependency and robs people of their freedom.

      Progressives: The 45 million working people who can't afford health care cannot all pull themselves up by their bootstraps. An economy that drives down wages to increase investor profits creates a cheap labor trap. The trap works against freedom from want.
      Conservatives: Economic liberty comes through the free market ; government gets in the way: government works against economic liberty in four ways: regulation, workers' rights, taxes, and class action lawsuits.

      Progressives: Freedom of religion includes freedom from having a religion imposed on you.
      Conservatives: Freedom to practice religion for fundamentalist evangelicals means spreading the good news of the truth of the gospel, which implies school prayer, "under God" in the Pledge, the Ten Commandments in courthouses, and the teaching of Intelligent Design.

      Progressives: The President's spying on citizens without a warrant is a violation of freedom.
      Conservatives: The President is just doing his duty to preserve our freedom.

Quote from: Laura91 on July 23, 2008, 12:20:18 PM
*enters sarcastic mode*
Freedom gives me the right to be an utter jerk. To assume things when I have no idea what the truth is. To label entire groups of people that I have never come in contact with. To cause harm to people and think that it is justified because I am a total moron. To think that critical thinking is wrong and that going along with the herd is right.
*exits sarcastic mode*

Now that is hilariously funny!  Thanks for the chuckle doll... it always makes a nice end to the day.

Cindi

Posted on: July 24, 2008, 02:09:25 AM

---

Karen,

Now that's not fun!  It's true, it's true.  You can't use the truth!  I can't handle the truth.

<big thunderous roll of laughter>

Cindi

*smiles*

This is freedom. Being here. Being able to step out of the pre-defined role I'm forced to play during the rest of my day. Able to be myself and come out of the dark corner I have to hide in while my pseudo-male persona runs my everyday life on autopilot.

Meeting people that have no agenda, no automatic assumption of me based solely on the way I look. Being able to connect with others as the real me, and enjoying the interaction on a level far above what I'm used to. Being accepted for who I am with no scrutiny and no suspicious glances.

That is a taste of freedom.

It may only be a little thing, but it's changed my whole outlook on life. And it means more than I can ever say.

Thank you.

Quote from: Pica Pica on July 23, 2008, 05:06:13 PM
for me freedom is mainly about freedom from expectations. you expect nothing from me, i expect nothing from you and we surprise each other.

expect nothing and that is exactly what you get - nothing.

Quote from: Cindi Jones on July 23, 2008, 01:28:13 AM
Give my my space, respect my opinion if you will, leave me alone if you don't.

I have privacy. It is mine. Leave me to it when ever I want it.

Don't tap my phone.
Don't read my email. 
Don't keep my name on your lists. 
Don't send me email or snail mail unless I know you.

Don't call me if you don't know me. 
If I ask you to leave me alone, do it.
Give me the reports you compile on me... or better yet, don't even make those reports.

Don't give my phone number or email address to anyone else.
Don't peep in my windows and I won't peep in yours.
Step one foot on my property and my dogs will get you.

I will speak my mind and allow you to speak yours.
I will not allow you to demean me or ANYONE else.

Cindi

Well this pretty much sums it up for me except i wish i also had a dog.

So many Voices, so many outlooks, so many I agree with. Freedom is what you make it. and Everyone is doing just that. God I am so glad I joined this forum. Thanks everyone for being apart of this thus far. I look forward to reading more thoughts on freedom as they come in.
Thanks again!

Quote from: Nero on July 24, 2008, 08:16:42 AM

Quote from: Pica Pica on July 23, 2008, 05:06:13 PM
for me freedom is mainly about freedom from expectations. you expect nothing from me, i expect nothing from you and we surprise each other.

expect nothing and that is exactly what you get - nothing.

expecting nothing doesn't mean there can't be sharing. just that it is not a requirement, it is a pleasure, a gift.

I spose that's what i want freedom from, freedom from requirement.

Quote from: Pica Pica on July 24, 2008, 02:45:44 PM

Quote from: Nero on July 24, 2008, 08:16:42 AM

Quote from: Pica Pica on July 23, 2008, 05:06:13 PM
for me freedom is mainly about freedom from expectations. you expect nothing from me, i expect nothing from you and we surprise each other.

expect nothing and that is exactly what you get - nothing.

expecting nothing doesn't mean there can't be sharing. just that it is not a requirement, it is a pleasure, a gift.

I spose that's what i want freedom from, freedom from requirement.

and when you give someone a gift, are you pushing a requirement onto them to give back? i doubt it. a gift is a gift. nothing more.

well there we agree...

a gift is only a gift if nothing is expected in return.

Quote from: Pica Pica on July 24, 2008, 03:20:40 PM
well there we agree...

a gift is only a gift if nothing is expected in return.

well most gift givers do expect that normal etiquette rules will be observed. such as the gift being accepted and not mocked because they got the size wrong.