Liberty

Liberty is the state or condition of people who are able to act and speak freely, the power to do or choose what you want to, and is a political right itself. Although the clear definition of liberty is the freedom to do whatever one pleases, there are several restraints and limits on what one can actually do. Although we as humans have the given right to do what our mind desires, there are limits between what is acceptable in society and what harms the greater good of society. An example of the discrimination of people and the falsely used account of liberty is the Kaepernick case. While at a college football game, Kaepernick decided to kneel instead of stand during the playing of the nation's anthem. The reason for his silent protest was to bring attention to the issue of racial discrimination and police brutality against African American citizens. Instead of gaining support for such a contradictory cause, Kaepernick was ridiculed and judged for making a peaceful protest and instead of being supported, was shut down for simply expressing his beliefs. He clearly had the liberty to do that, so why was he not accepted? It's because the constraints of liberty are in such a gray area. People will let you do whatever pleases you, as long as it does not harm anybody, and does not step on their social beliefs. Once you step on their social beliefs, step outside of the normal conformity of society, or do something that contradicts the "normal" status quo, people of the nation will attack you and make you feel as if your liberty is actually taken away. The idea of "liberty" conforms with whatever society perceives it to be, which is the reason as to why society has so many flaws and gaps in interpretation.