By Jan Vicente B. Pekas
It is an honor to have an independence day to celebrate. After all, even to this day there are small territories which are under the control of foreign nations. Oppressed groups of people are still fighting for their own independence. Enlightenment may be widespread, but archaic concepts such as colonialism still exist, though carefully hidden. To have an independence day is a blessing, one to protect and nurture that it be passed on to the next generation.
But as we see what is going on in the world today, freedom is not something guaranteed to stay. It can be forcefully or meticulously taken by forces outside our country or even inside it. Across the pacific ocean, we can see Americans and their envy-of-the-world freedom being challenged.
Growing up, the United States have been the model that was presented to me as the one to imitate. And we certainly have tried to copy them, but not their intensity of love for freedom. I can even remember thinking of democracy as being synonymous with the US.
Now, I hear the word “King” being thrown around in their country. And a lot of the news coming from their media outlets are all but appalling and admirable, considering the number of people already out in the streets protesting and the number of people calling out their government.
This only shows that freedom and democracy is not invincible and stays in place simply because we want it to. It can be undermined and circumvented by the powerful until suddenly they start taking it away from citizens.
Our independence day should also remind us that freedom involves a continuous battle. The defense of our freedom is always ongoing for there are always those who wish to take it away from us. Complacency can only set us back decades and take away the best gift we have received from our ancestors.
If America’s freedom can actually be threatened then our freedom can actually be killed. What happens in other countries can easily happen to us. But if we do imitate the U.S. then I can only hope we copy first their intense and almost fanatical love of freedom.
The coming days, months and years will test us all, whether we fight for freedom and deserve it or afraid to fight for it and lose it. I have come to learn that good things only come to those who work for it, who actually wants it. With all that we can offer, freedom is certainly worth it. **
