"Liberty is not a right but a duty."
by:
Ezra Pound
(1885-1972) American poet
Date:
March 8, 1942
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Ah, the battle cry of most despotic governments; however, in the United States "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". Liberty is a right, but it's individual application within society is a daily fight.
 -- Logan, Memphis, TN     
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    Liberty is a right and a duty.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    Agree Mike.
     -- Anon     
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    Liberty is neither a right nor a duty. It is a responsability. It is our duty to our children to maintain it. And when secured it is our right to enjoy its fruits.
     -- Justin, Elkland, Missouri     
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    Oh, I can be a little forgiving on the semantics. There is no Liberty without the responsibility of defending it. It is a duty in that it is my duty to preserve Liberty not a duty imposed by some authority or official. Of course Liberty is a right -- I think Ezra Pound is just trying to impress upon us that Liberty requires an effort -- all our rights do, and if we stop defending them or leave the duty of defending them to someone else, we will not keep it.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    Well said, E Archer. There will always be those who consider another person's rights quite alienable, regardless of the source of those rights
     -- A.WOODS, Gloucester     
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    Please, the quote just means that to keep liberty you have to work at it every day. If you take it for granted there will be some one, in power, that thinks he granted it and can then take it away.
     -- warren, olathe     
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    Prefer to state it, you do your duty and you will earn some freedoms.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
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    Hmm, no, that's the wrong context.  Man is inherently free and unavoidably responsible for defending his freedom and dare I say the freedom of his neighbors.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    Mr Archer, I just want you to know I intend no harm to you.  Peace on earth, good will towards all. If you have a good idea I would certainly pay tribute to you and give you credit.  "You've got that minute, doctor."

     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
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    Fred, As long as you do not try to compel me to obey a false authority, I believe we could be good and loyal friends even though we hold different ideological views.  I wish you nothing but happiness and fulfilment — and that should be at no else's expense but your own.

    And if we can come to an agreement on how to uplift others, I would be happy to do so with you.  That IMHO is the American way.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    Mr. Archer,  I definitely want to be your productive plutonic friend. I believe we are not so much different as we might believe. For at the core we are the same idealogically, we just label it different possibly or haven't found our core and our diversity arrives as all present the different possibilities for overcoming  the many obstacles to the life challenge.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
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