One tragic day in american history, almost thirteen years ago, about three thousand innocent victims lost their lives due to the belief of nineteen people that they were fighting and dying for freedom.  The horrific day occurred on September 11, 2001.  firefighters, law enforcement officers, and civilians are no longer present because of their act of terror.  These men did not view their actions as such and believed beyond any doubt that they were dying for a greater cause.  These extremists were prepared to give anything to give freedom to those seen as oppressed in their eyes.  Freedom is a principal that seems to be required by the human race; therefore, when this ideal is threatened, people will go to extreme lengths and do absolutely anything they feel is essential to regain their necessity. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a good example of this, because he shows that he will go to extreme lengths to achieve freedom. He shows that hes is willing to sacrifice for freedom, by getting himself arrested and thrown into Birmingham Jail from a peaceful protest he was running. While in jail Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, and in it he has a quote from himself that states “we know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed”(Martin 322).  In this quote he is basically saying that we need to stand up for our freedoms, and that they will never just be given to us if we sit around and do nothing and wait for them.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. displays that he is willing to risk it all by putting his family in danger, and ultimately risking it all in the end when he is murdered fighting for his freedom.

Without people like President Franklin Roosevelt and Jean Jacques Rousseau society wouldn't have any idea what true freedom would be. Franklin Roosevelt said that “in the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms”(Franklin R22), basicly saying that freedom consists of four parts: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Jean’s explanation of what freedom is a lot more complex then President Franklin’s explanation of freedom, but their explanations are mostly the same in general.

The Power of One is a movie about a boy named PK that risks it all to help with the savagely segregation problem in Africa at the time. PK grew up living in a jail with his uncles friend who was PK’s mentor and teacher. In this jail PK learned about the struggles Africans were having at the time with the harsh segregation that was occurring at the time. After he moved away and started going to boarding school again PK met this boxer about his age that was African, and being caught with an African could get you killed. Ignoring the risk of being killed for hanging out with and African PK still helps them try to regain their freedom. Showing that PK will go all the way for freedom, even if it means death.

Human nature forces people to crave freedom and when this fundamental asset is taken away, the hoi polloi will uproar and riot until it is replaced.  Americans view freedom as a God given right because it is written into their Declaration of Independence that they have “unalienable rights” of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” and that  “all men are created equal”.  This view is not the same idea as the rest of the world, although to some degree most civilians will agree with some of the ideas.  Freedom is something most people feel entitledto.  Does freedom actually belong to the people or are the masses tricked into this false security that they have control of their own lives and destiny?