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Written for my English II class in 2015, I ponder if the meaning of "Freedom from Fear" has changed over time using Roosevelt's "The Four Freedoms" speech, and Obama's welcoming remarks to the Prime Minister Cameron of the UK. FDR once said, “We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms… The fourth is freedom from fear.” Barack Obama said, “We believe that our citizens should be able to live free from fear.” Two people, two ages, two speeches, one big idea. Based on Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” speech and Barack Obama’s “Welcoming Remarks” to the UK’s Prime Minister Cameron, the idea of “freedom from fear” has not changed over time. Franklin D. Roosevelt gave “The Four Freedoms” speech in 1941 while he was “confronted with powerful enemies during WWII.” The fourth freedom he announced was that people should have the “freedom from fear.” He then explained that meant the reduction of weapons world-wide, so there will be no nation that may pose a threat to another, nor be able to “commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor-anywhere in the world.” In 2012, Barack Obama and Prime Minister Cameron of the UK gave welcoming remarks to the British’s return to the US. In Obama’s speech, he quoted Roosevelt, and gave a similar message. “We believe that our citizens should be able to live free from fear,” he said. He then went into further detail describing that “we stand united in the defense of our countries and against those who would terrorize our people, or endanger the globe with the world’s most dangerous weapons.” Overall, while the message was explained in different terms due to the history behind them, both presidents preached freedom from fear. Since Roosevelt’s speech, America has experienced atomic warfare only four years after (Obama’s reference: “… the world’s most dangerous weapons.”) and terrorism (Obama’s reference: “…against those who would terrorize our people…”). Still, however, both speeches are against mass weaponry to avoid critical wars. This similarity provides the evidence needed to prove that the idea of “freedom from fear” is ongoing and unchanging. Does anyone have any different views? Comment below!
-ZebraD
1 Comment
Fritz
7/1/2022 01:56:03 pm
The idea of "freedom from fear" has not changed much over time. Both Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms" speech and Obama's welcoming remarks to the Prime Minister of the UK describe protecting, in Obama's words, "our countries and against those who would terrorize our people." However, the US was significantly more powerful during Obama's opening remarks than it was in 1941, causing many other countries to be afraid of attacking it.
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AuthorZebraD is currently a high school senior in Florida. She is constantly writing essays for school and scholarships. Archives
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