I'm in lower Manhattan today, in the heart of New York City's financial district. The building I'm working at is right on the water's edge and has a view of the harbor and its landmark green statue. Pity it's so hazy today.On the flight over, I started to read David Hackett Fischer's tome on Liberty and Freedom. I used to think that they were the same thing. Turns out that liberty carries connotations of independence and of rights that are specifically permitted. Freedom is of innate rights that accrue to all members of a free society.
The meanings of these terms have changed throughout American history as each generation continually finds the balance between the individual and collective; and between rights and responsibilities.
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