We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.
To live anywhere in the world today, and be against equality because of race of color is like living in Alaska and being against snow.
William Faulkner Quotes
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Tag Archives: freedom
Nelson Mandela Quotes
For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return.
Nelson Mandela overcame oppression and imprisonment to become President of South Africa (1994-1999). His unwavering opposition to the nation’s policy of apartheid led to much change in his beloved country.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Quotes
A constitution, as important as it is, will mean nothing unless the people are yearning for liberty and freedom.
Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.
Darkness in War
Eve Conant interviews her mother, who was born in 1934. Her National Geographic article, “Caught between Hitler’s troops and Stalin’s: How one family escaped,” captures vivid memories of her mother living in Kiev when Germans invaded the Ukraine in 1941. This poem attempts to capture the darkness of war, then ending with the light of freedom. This May marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
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Memories of war, never fading
Dreadful darkness, haunting many lives
Living as refugees, now homeless
Caught between nations, bloody war thrives
Millions facing harsh deportation
Never to return to their homelands
Surviving in freezing factories
Providing labor in foreign lands
Escaping from a train, fate calling
Always moving, life stays on the run
Sleeping outdoors, sometimes in cold barns
Blistered, painful feet for everyone
Witnessing death, in deserted fields
Scars of war, visions never ending
Eyes and ears skyward, fearing warplanes
On the run, danger not pretending
Surviving life’s dark, brutal escape
Recalling this journey’s final trek
Arriving on American soil
Drawing freedom’s card, from life’s new deck
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Monday Memories: Journey to America
This poem was originally published in November, 2018. It has been updated in a few places to enhance the message. Witness the impact of America’s open door to immigrants with this poem.
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Images of immigrants arriving at America’s shores
Families hope the United States offers much more
Huddled and crowded together on ships bound for another land
Dreaming of moving forward and receiving an outstretched hand
Most Americans trace immigrants back to their family roots
Their ancestors arrived ready to energize lives with a boost
Singer Neil Sedaka proclaims the immigrants’ anxious arrival
“The Immigrant” sings of America waiting, without any denial
Coming to America is immortalized as Neil Diamond sings
“America” tells a fascinating story that only his lyrics bring
Both Sedaka and Diamond write beautiful and appropriate text
America can do better than people shouting, “You are not next”
Imagine the excitement felt upon seeing Lady Liberty
She has welcomed people to America for an eternity
Her torch offers a brilliant beacon of new hope and light
America extends a welcoming hand, ending their plight
This openhearted Lady, gifted from France, stands solemn
She invites the less fortunate to disembark in long columns
Emma Lazarus, an offspring of immigrants, expresses it best
Her poetic words in “The New Colossus” surely pass the test
Her inspiring words paint an ironic and emotional image for all
To see how a mighty Lady and America will forever stand tall
America’s melting pot overflows from a gentle and peaceful place
Tales from immigrants deserve to be heard without undue haste
Immigration has recently become a passionate, national debate
America’s history shows patience in opening its welcome gate
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The lyrics of “The Immigrant” can be found at Neil Sedaka.
The lyrics of “America” can be found at Neil Diamond.
The verses of “The New Colossus” can be found at Emma Lazarus.
Monday Memories: Never Taken for Granted
Here is another edition of “Monday Memories.” This poem was written back in December, 2018, and its message may be even more relevant today than nearly a year ago. May America or any nation never take anything for granted.
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Never taken for granted
A young nation moves forward to be brave and free
To remove the shackles of oppression so others see
A soldier takes a bullet in a far, distant land
To protect freedoms that will always stand
Thomas Jefferson will never have to write a sequel
To state for all to read, “All men are created equal”
A minister preaches to a racially divided nation
To envision “free at last” will be his final station
A newspaper criticizes the government with much to say
To reinforce freedom of the press is always here to stay
A hesitant nation awakens while its other allies fight
To bring her vast resources in a victory full of might
A mother takes a stand at a school board meeting
To support a worthy novel that is taking a beating
A crowd protests peacefully in a city very near
To bring attention to issues without any fear
A writer uses his words to bring an issue to light
To encourage all to make a difference and fight
A President hides behind the sins of Watergate
To shamefully resign from office will be his fate
Workers strike to protest low wages and more
To organize labor unions to even up the score
A young politician inspires and leads the way
To become a worthy leader with much to say
Other nations come to the aid of a valued friend
To bring support with the troops that they send
Students stare into TV cameras with one voice
Violence in schools is truly not about a choice
A former republic declines and fades away
To witness freedom’s erosion without delay
Christ’s red blood stains an old rugged cross
To bring a second chance for all who are lost
Never taken for granted
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