In January 1941 Europe was already at war. Germany armies were spreading across Europe and into Russia. Japan was swallowing up the Dutch East Indies, China, and much of Southeast Asia.
In the United States the ‘Great Depression’ had sucked the optimism out of much of the country. Franklin Delano Roosevelt had broken precedent and won election for a 3d term facing a mountain of challenges. He delivered his 8th State of the Union speech, now forgotten, that defined the bedrock on which our country had been founded…who we were. and what we would forever remain. That speech enumerated the four freedoms. As we grow increasingly frustrated with our political, racial and cultural divisiveness, it might be useful to remember them.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH is a principle that supports the right of an individual, or a community, to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation. This right has been recognized as a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations, It is not without limitations, however, as it relates to libel, slander, obscenity, pornography, sedition, incitement, fighting words, hate speech, classified information and the right to privacy and individual dignity.
FREEDOM OF RELIGION is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedom to change one’s religion or beliefs, “the right not to profess any religion or belief”, or “not to practice a religion”. The term “belief” is considered inclusive of all forms of irreligion, including atheism, humanism, existentialism or other schools of thought.,
FREEDOM FROM WANT means economic understanding which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants. The right to an adequate standard of living is a fundamental human right. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of him/herself and of his/her family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, or disability,
FREEDOM FROM FEAR translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point, and in such a thorough fashion, that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor—anywhere in the world.”
