Interviewer: state your name, 

Zucker: Katie Zucker. 

Interviewer: So Katie. How do you feel about freedom in America?

Zucker 0:09

Um, I think it's not really a thing. Care to elaborate freedom. You can't label, a country as free if only certain people have ultimate freedom, and others don't, especially in our day and age in our country. America is a mixing pot of people and culture. And to say that just because one group of people has freedom but the other one doesn't is not okay because the reason we have so many things is because people came together and made America it should be a place for people who are all given the same opportunities and respect, or at least it should be. That was the original idea, wasn't it?

Interviewer 0:54

Yeah, I agree with that, and you know people talk about how America is the land of the free and that's not true, and yet it's not free for everyone, right, not everyone lives as most people put it the American dream. So, what do you think it is, means to be an American you're American right are you from another country, 

Zucker: no I'm an American. 

Interviewer: Okay. How does that make you feel to live in a place where people say it's free but it's really not.

Zucker 1:17

I mean it it's really sad because, you know, you don't want to like, I don't know you don't want to like, like, for me, because of the color of my skin. I don't have to be afraid of going to certain places or doing other things as simple as shopping, I guess you because I don't know if you want me to you know to address you as you. I don't want to say that if you don’t want me to, yeah anyway, my friends who don't have the same color skin as me are afraid to just do things and go out at night and that's just skin color, there's on top of it, gender and sexuality, there are so many things that not that people are just born that way and they're who they are and yet they have to be afraid of who they are inside or how they look on the outside and that's just, it's, It's embarrassing to have to say that this is where I live, this is where I'm from,

Interviewer 2:09

right. So what would you say to those out there that feel like they can't do anything to change the way that they're treated like what are things that we could do as Americans to help make a change.

Zucker 2:22

I mean for me specifically like I'm white, so I don't, I won't ever have to know the struggles that people who have a darker skin color go through. And so, my, my idea would just be, let’s come together, what do we need to work on what can we try and fix because you can't do it by yourself and you need help. That's what this is another great thing is, we're supposed to come together .like we should to come together and support one another. we're like I said a mixing pot of just everything, is it a melting pot? Either way, and we should be able to come together and fight for one another. So I'd say, give me your information and battle, let me help in any way I can. we have a conversation. Tell me how I can help. If it's about skin color or sexuality, tell me how I can help, let me tell you how you can help. What we can do for each other.

Interviewer 3:20

Yeah, cuz nothing is brought up or started without a conversation. Yeah. So yeah change will not be easy but here guys, here we have Katie Zucker willing to talk about this amazing topic and I'm so glad we have an ally. Thank you. See you next time.

 

Asia: Being an American is something that is supposed to be safe and protected, where one lives in a country that has equality and justice for all. However, this is not the case for everyone. Being an African-American in America is a different story. This is the case for several marginalized populations. I live in a country where people have to establish movements in order to stand up for what is moral and ethical. For example, the Black Lives Matters Movement. With this said, I feel that being a true American is still only meant for the majority of the population. For me, I feel that I have to work three times harder than the average White American in order to get where I want to be in life. I have to seek access to things in life like my career, education, and financial stability in order to truly become a traditional American, and even then it’s not guaranteed. 

 
AM: What does "freedom" mean to you?

 

Asia: “Freedom” is significant to me and my ancestors. When I think of freedom I think of slavery and how things have evolved since then. At one point Africans and African-Americans had to fight for freedom because of slavery. While I am thankful we are not still in slave times, we still experience fighting for the same thing - equality and justice. Freedom is supposed to represent both equality and justice, and America is still very far from this, mainly because of the increased number of police brutality and trafficking incidents. 

 
AM: How does your perspective change your idea of freedom?

Asia: My idea of freedom has drastically changed based on my perspective. As we have seen in social media, it appears that police brutality has become more relevant, although I think this has been covered up forever. Because of this, it simply shows how freedom is still needed. In addition to this, justice and equality is needed as well. The police is an enforcement supposed to be in place to protect everyone. In reality, they use power and control against certain populations, which clearly demonstrates the gap of true freedom. The question is, what do we do about it?

KZ: Hello, please state your name.

MM: My name is Mary Patricia McGrath.

Interviewer: Hello, Mary. Today we're going to talk about America and freedom, and just stuff like that. Okay, So my first question for you is what does it mean to you to be American.

0:21

MM: It's very important to me because I'm the first generation of Irish immigrants from Northern Ireland. My parents were born there and came here many years ago, my father came through Ellis Island and his name is on the wall. 

KZ: Wow. 

MM: And I took my grandchildren to see it because they didn't believe me. My mom on the other hand didn't come to Ellis Island she came to Philadelphia, which was another city, they had, they left Ireland because they had very hard times, and they worked very hard. They were very young when they came here, and they struggled. I am one of four of the children being the middle child, and I saw how they struggled and they gave us a very good life.

1:06

KZ: So how has what they've been through and their struggles, made you reflect about being an American, in the, in the time that they came here and you and your siblings grew up and the climate of the world.

1:22

MM: Well, because they told us the hard times they had in Ireland and how they worked on a farm and put in many many hours, they weren't able to have much fun as children growing up, 

KZ: and they aren’t as educated or were afforded the same educational options as in America?

MM: my father was educated because being one of 12 children, and he being the oldest they sent him to England, they always sent the oldest child to be educated. So he did have a pretty formal education for his age at the time. My mother on the other hand came here she was very young, she was just about 20 years old, and I watched them struggle and they gave us you know, they tried to make our life twice as good as theirs. And we’re really appreciate everything they did, the only sadness I have is that my mum died very young, 56 years old which was very young at the time, and we tried to make her life a lot easier.

2:17

KZ: Well. Speaking of your parents really struggling and things like that. What does freedom mean to you? If we're talking about your, your personal experience, let's say that because you can only talk about what you've experienced. So, with what your parents struggled with, and I don't know whatever maybe you might have struggled with your parents, learning to adapt to a whole different culture and a new way of life. What does freedom mean to you?

2:51

MM: Well freedom means to me like my mom knew nobody when she came to this country, she was a young girl by herself. And I saw how she went out to find herself a job, and she put she gave us a very good work ethic growing. And I really appreciate what she showed us and she said, education was very, very important, and also that we grow up to be good, good people. Good people and, you know, aware of other people's feelings. I was able to get a job yet at a young age and contribute to the household which made things a lot easier for them, and my siblings also, we didn't have a lot of money but we had a lot for what little we did have. We had a lot of love and we had a lot of happiness and life. I appreciate this country because it is the land of the free because you're able to do so many things that she couldn't do, they couldn't do it where they came from.

3:44

KZ: So would you say, freedom, the right to choose the right to better yourself. 

MM: Yes, 

KZ: you'd say that that's what that means to you.

3:52

MM: Yes, okay, yes it was wonderful, and you're in you're given the right by yourself.

3:58

KZ: So you're saying that freedom is definitely something to be worked towards 

MM: Of course. 

KZ: Okay. It's an interesting take on the topic of freedom, on the topic of freedom how has a lack of freedom ever impacted you or family members or friends have just a lack of freedom in general and impacted or affected you. You and your life,

4:21

MM: lack of freedom. Well, my dad had found a kind of different freedom in this country, so much so, so important, because he always put it the ethic that we should vote, always, from the time we were able to vote, because in the country, and we were given so many opportunities that they did not have growing up. He had it, he said we had it he didn't,

4:54

KZ: because at the time, our Ireland was very underdeveloped is that we're saying when they were born

4:58

MM: and they were born in Ireland, but in the free state, so they didn;t have the problem with the states that were governed by another country. So when they came here, 

KZ: so they were not born in a free in the Free State, 

MM: they were born in, 

KZ: Okay 

MM: but they appreciate it when they came here. How the freedom they had, they had to you know, obtain a job and go about their business and go where they wanted to be in depict the type of, you know, employment they want it to go to different places,

5:26

KZ: How would you say it was different. Ireland at the time, compared to you know, New York at this time and why they came here.

5:36

MM: Well they came, they came to better themselves because they couldn't get; they didn't have the opportunities for jobs over in Ireland. They had to work on the farm and

5:44

MM: because it was underdeveloped in the time with compared to compare different life that they would have what we have here. 

KZ: Okay. Well, did you or your parents or your siblings or friends ever experienced a lack of freedom or someone telling you guys, you are any of you that you couldn't do something because of something that you, that was out of your control?

6:11

MM: Not really, I get. As an adult, I look back now and realize how what a wonderful childhood we had, we grew up in an area where there was a lot of people, the blob is with the same common struggles so there were really different people from many different countries and we started to mix with all different nationalities and different kinds

6:35

MM: of people. 

KZ: You were all by the same people, none of you cared what anyone looked like or anything like that because you were all in the same boat?

6:45

MM: there were Jewish people. They were Greek people, they were Italian people, we had multiple ethnic groups that we grew up with, which was a wonderful thing my mother taught us that that everybody was born equal, and that we should treat everybody with respect, and that's how we learn to get along with people to this day I still have very many of those friends.

7:04

KZ: Well, yeah, that's, that's amazing. That's lovely to hear. Is there anything else you'd like to add before we close up?

7:12

MM: I just want to say that America is the greatest country in the world, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

KZ: Okay, 

MM: and I'm so happy and so glad. And also I was very fortunate to be born on the fourth of July, and my children used to say to me when they were young. Mom, the whole world celebrates your birthday, and I am very happy to have been born on the fourth of July. 

KZ: And I guess the world does celebrate your birthday.

7:40

MM: They celebrate you. Yeah, well, thank you for taking the time to do this interview, and thank you for talking about the difference in experience that you and your parents, you and your siblings as a first-generation and your parents as immigrants. Thank you.

KT: Um, freedom to me means being able to do what I want when I want to be able to say what I want, without any government consequences. 

EL: Okay. And what does it mean to be an American?

KT: That's a hard question. So, an American, by definition, is just somebody who lives in America but I know people who I wouldn't define as American even though they live here because of their just deep hatred for this country. So to me personally an American, as someone who believes that while America may not be perfect, it is a lot better than a lot of places. And someone who is willing to defend America.

EL: How does religion, race, sex, and sexuality, change your perspective on freedom, or, you know affect your perspective on freedom?

KT: Um, I definitely think my perspective is a lot different from a lot of people's because I am a woman I am queer and I'm a teenager, like all of those things and I am partially Mexican but I'm not enough that it's really affected me. Well, other than any time we were asked on anything. [They ask] What, like race I am, we say Mexican because that can lead to scholarships. There are specific people who are only give scholarships to Hispanic people, so we always do that. And a lot of places will change, a lot of places want to have minorities because it makes them look better. So if you put [on] things that you have minorities, you're more likely to get in. Um, it's hard because I am a huge feminist and I do think that there's a lot of inequality in the world. But I think that's less systematic or government, then it's just people being people, and people just like to put other people in boxes and it's really frustrating to deal with in life, but it's something that I don't think we can change, I don't think we're not going to be able to, to get rid of prejudices if anything we'll just change what we're judging people on, it'll change from the color of your skin to if you like pasta or not, it, there will always be people who just want to be mean and who want to hate other people but there will also always be people who fight for equality, who want the world to be perfectly equal, and it's just really sucks that it's not, but hopefully we can keep fighting to get there. 

EL: Okay, that was a very lengthy response. Um, can I ask you... I forgot the question. The third one, the third one. Have you ever experienced a lack of freedom?

KT: Yeah, okay well, um, personally, I have, but, um, it's with my parents because I am, you know, a minor. A lot of times they told me like I can or can't do things, I can and can't wear things and that's really frustrating because obviously I want to do what I want to do just like everybody else in the world. Um, and I've experienced I think mild prejudice because I'm a girl like there are definitely the "you hit like a girl" comments floating around but nothing that's really affected me like massively other than just...

EL: We should edit anything out. Yeah. A lot of people pronounce my name wrong, and other people don't care to get it right like...

KT: Yeah, ethnic names are a big issue. Yeah, just, I feel, I think I saw this thing where if you have an ethnic name that you're less likely to get hired for. Yeah

EL:  That's exactly what I was actually…

KT: When I was applying for a job. I kept kind of wanting to put a gender-neutral name or a masculine name, because, you know, men are more likely to be hired, but I can't really change my name on an official form. 

EL: Unless you legally change it.

KT: Yeah. But like I was at an award ceremony, an award ceremony, and two different teachers pronounced my name wrong in two different ways.

EL:   ...so that sounds kind of sad. Thank you.

SD: Skylar Donner. 

AM: Okay, Skylar. The questions that I am going to be asking are about freedom. First question, what does it mean to be an American? 

SD: Being an American means that you should have freedom of speech and equal rights. You should be treated fairly because you live in America. America is the “land of free”. 

AM: So you think people in America should be treated fairly because it is referred to as the “land of the free”?

SD: Yes, because a lot of people now are treated poorly because of the way that they look or the way they are perceived by other people. It really matters about how much of a good person you are and the good things you do for others. No one should judge anyone based on their skin color or judgmental opinions.

AM: That is very true! So what does freedom mean to you?

SD: To me, freedom means that we all have equal rights, and we all have the same fairness, and that way we can all live together without controversial issues. 

AM: What would be an example of a controversial issue?

SD: The past year has been very big on controversy because there have been disagreements and protests about other people's freedom and what individuals believe other’s freedom should look like. There have been a lot of fights and riots over people that work for our “home of the free” and don’t treat our citizens fairly.  

AM: You are making very good points, Skylar! Last question. Have you ever experienced a lack of freedom?

SD: I do not think so. Not that I can recall. The color of my skin, and what I look like is the reason why I have not received any lack of freedom. But I have witnessed my peers and others around me get treated wrongly. 

AM: Thank you so much for sharing this information with me. 

SD: You're very welcome. I'm glad I could share some of my views with you.

AM: Aniya Marin.

SD: Okay so I am going to ask a few questions about freedom.  Let's start with the first question. What does it mean to be in America? 

AM: In my opinion, being an American allows you to have a great amount of freedom. It is said that we are the “land of free” in America. I do not believe that that is true. Being American is supposed to give you privilege, although I have not seen that in the past few years.

SD: What is an example you can provide from the past few years?

AM: One example of a lack of privilege, is the issue that occurred in 2020. Some people were not treated fairly based on the color of their skin. Like I said, if America is considered the “land of free” then why are people getting discriminated against. People should not be discriminated against! There are many reasons why someone might discriminate against a person. Could be their race, sexuality, or religion. Although it is not necessary because America is a free country. 

SD: Good answer. So what does freedom mean to you?

AM: To me, freedom means you are able to walk out of the house and not be afraid or scared of anything or anyone, which has recently been a problem with Americans. Some people feel that they cannot do that. In my opinion, certain people do not show the fairness that everyone should receive. 

SD: Since certain people don’t receive the same amount of freedom, have you ever experienced a lack of freedom?

AM: I personally have never experienced a lack of freedom. Although, I have witnessed people in my community and many all over the world have been offended by situations that they’ve been in. They take action with those bad situations and make it into some type of change. I do not believe in freedom because from what I have seen, it does not exist!

SD: Thank you for answering my questions. Have a good day!

“America may not be the perfect example of what it stands for but America was created for the sole purpose of people coming there and being who they want to be and doing what they what to do free of any hardships and discrimination they faced in their hometowns… Being an American to me is standing up for the rights of others who are less fortunate then you and most importantly understanding that together we are a stronger force than we are separated”

“What does freedom mean to you?”

“Freedom to me means being loved unconditionally by people around you who are different from you. To have the ability to go out and love who you want. To do what you wanna do, express your culture, and have everyone be respectful of it. To have freedom is to be treated the same way as others are at no expense.”

“How does your perspective change your idea of freedom? Basically, does the fact you're black or live in Chicago change your idea of freedom?”

“No, it doesn’t. As somebody who’s a person of color, I believe everyone should be treated well regardless… even if I wasn’t black or lived in Chicago I would still stand by my beliefs”

KZ: Hello.

0:01

KZ: Please state your name.

0:02

AZ: Oh, my name is Allie Zucker.

0:05

KZ: Okay Allie.

0:06

KZ: So today we're just going to talk about America and things like that so I'm just gonna ask you some questions and give me your best answer.

0:13

AZ: Okay.

0:14

KZ: so question, my first question for you is,

0:16

KZ: what does it mean to be an American?

0:19

AZ: Well,

0:21

AZ: I was born here. So being an American is all I've ever known. But I think I've learned as I've grown up and gone to college and met a lot of different people, that a lot of times, Americans are used as we use ourselves as the standard for everything. So, by that I mean, we view how other countries, operate as incorrect, and we are the gold standard and I think that we have trouble accepting that there are better ways to do things, I think that, as a country as a whole, we somehow think that we're better than everyone else. So I think that my role as an American is trying to find a way to change that mindset, for me, and those around me. And that's what I plan to do in my career. And hopefully, for

1:31

AZ: those around me as well. Yeah, that's, that's great, like starting conversations and talking about different ways of changing things and things like that. Yeah, yeah.

1:42

KZ: well on that topic.

1:46

KZ: Referring to freedom, how, What does it. What does freedom mean to you or how has a lack of freedom or too much freedom or something like that, how is that in, like, what does that mean to you, how has that impacted you. 

AZ: Well, like growing up in America it's ingrained in our minds, we're the land of the free, but is that really true, 

KZ: depends on who you ask, I would say no 

AZ: I would also say no. For me, at least being a white woman. I've never really experienced a lack of freedom I've experienced sexism, but white people. As a White woman, I've never experienced any sort of racial oppression. And I think that I know a lot of people who can't say that. 

KZ: Yeah, 

AZ: I think we take that freedom for granted. Coming from a white family, we've never experienced police brutality, we've never experienced discrimination. Yeah, and I think that we take that freedom for granted. I personally have had times where I have taken that for granted. And I think, I can't say that I know what freedom is because I've lived it. So I've never not had it to know what it's like... 

KZ: to want it 

AZ: or want it exactly. So I could say freedom is, you know, having the great to opportunity to choose whatever I want to do whatever career path, whatever, you know, decision I choose to make for myself, but there are a lot of people that don't get to make those choices, and to me having the choice that just seems natural and easy. I don't have to work for that, because I've never experienced a lack of freedom. So yeah. 

KZ: Well thank you for answering these questions and being here today. 

AZ: Oh, thank you for having me, of course.

P: Being an American mean to me? Ah, man being an American mean everything to me. Y’know my family born and raised in this country, I’m born and raised in this country. I’m very proud of our country. I’m very proud to be a citizen of this country, so it means everything to me 

KT: What does freedom mean to you? 

P: Also, freedom is everything y’know you can’t put a price on freedom to live your life in freedom and to live your life in peace you can’t put a price on that to actually there’s, there’s no way to even put a meaning to it because it’s so important to be able to live in your life as a free person. 

KT: Have you ever experienced some time when you didn’t have freedom?

P: Myself personally, No, I haven’t I’ve always had freedom y’know I believe that education is part of being free y’know having a strong education have a strong background education as far as freedom, their hand in hand because when your well educated it opens up doors y’know it prevents traps so you’re more aware of things going on around you so being able to keep yourself from falling into traps that would cause you not to feel free that’s where education does for you. 

KT: Do you have anything to say to the people who don’t believe America is free?

P: Well, I think that if you know never gone outside the united states a lot of people never travel abroad so they don’t have a lot of... They don’t have comparison like when you whenever you travel abroad, myself I’ve traveled to, I’ve been to Korea, I’ve been to Taiwan, I’ve been all parts of the world training in my martial arts so uh y’know when you never gone outside the country you don’t have a comparison but once you actually go outside the country you get a chance to see how free we are here compared to a lot of countries um a lot of people don’t have the freedom of speech a lot of people don’t have the freedom to do what they feel they want to do to be who they want to be um so even y’know hunger, hunger in a lot of countries out there. Y’know we look into poor people in the united states, yes, but there are some people out there in other parts of the world, a whole lot poorer than the people in the United States. SO um you don’t have a comparison its easy to say hey y’know i don’t wanna be in the united states I wish I could go someplace else but I say to the majority of people if they left the united states they would be happy to return

KZ: Hello Please state your name. 

RG: Ryan gates. 

KZ: Okay, Ryan. Today, we're here to talk about America and things like that. So my first question for you is, what does being an American mean to you?

0:14

RG: For me, it's about having respect for your country and the people that live there and being proud to live here and be a part of our country. 

KZ: Okay. Um, yeah. So

0:32

KZ: my next question for you is, what does freedom mean to you?

0:38

RG: Freedom is having the ability to do what you want, as long as you don't harm other people. So I believe that as an American, you have a lot of freedoms. And you should exercise them. As long as you're not hurting anyone else or harming them in any way I think you should be able to do whatever you need to. 

KZ: Yeah, so

1:10

KZ: to piggyback on the topic of freedom. How has a lack of freedom or, well how has a lack of freedom impacted you or somebody that you know and/or the people around you?

1:22

RG: Well I've been very lucky that I come from a place of privilege. So my freedoms have not been significantly impacted. But there are many people in this country and many groups of people that have their freedoms limited or discriminated against, for whatever reason. And that's something that we as a country should try to minimize and eliminate. So, while I have not personally been impacted I've seen others impacted as well.

2:02

KZ: Okay, well thank you for being here and allowing me to interview you today.

“Stupid question. I was born here and am Native American. As far as I’m concerned that’s as far as my connection goes.”

“What does freedom mean to you?”

“I don’t know, having more autonomy over myself?”

“Does your perspective change your idea of freedom?”

“My perspective changed my view because I am a minority in many ways. Because of that, my idea of freedom is different than that of the entitled majority and probably still a little farther off.”

WJ: Freedom? Um The ability to move around as you would like to the ability to think and speak how you would like to within reason the ability to not be controlled um… the ability not to be controlled by government factions to the point where you don't have the right to say do and act the way you would like to 

KT: Does freedom mean the lack of consequences? 

WJ:No. There's consequences for everything, every, you know rules have consequences, life has consequences, every action in life has a consequence they can be good or bad but they have a consequence

KT:What does being an American mean to you?

WJ: Hmm um well what it should mean that we have the right to pursue happiness and liberty and it gotta be  equal justice and equality and equity for all unfortunately  that's not the way it is right now but that's what it oughta be 

KT: What is it right now? 

WJ: Um i think we have a, a class system that does not allow everybody to be all that they can be or does not want everybody to be all that they can be umm.. I dont think its necessarily race motivated i think its class and uh money motivated 

KT: How would you fix it ?

WJ: Um First of all I think if you offer equal healthcare to everybody so that folks could make sure that their health is taken care of. If you offer umm offer jobs to everyone um I think the united states america is a large enough country and a wealthy enough country where we can put people to work if that's what.. If thats what we really wanted to do and I think that there are a lot of people who do wanna work. Um so if we provided more jobs if we provided better healthcare and if, the other thing is  if we provided a better educational opportunity for everybody not just the elite but for everybody

KT: What do you think is preventing people from working?

WJ: Um a couple of things I think one of the things is our um warped um economic system the capitalist system that we so called practice uh is set up to create well not to create but to set up to,  maintain the rich for the rich to maintain their wealth and for everybody else to work for them um but full employment is not good thing  because then you start closing the wealth gap so you have to have some unemployed so you can keep the wealth gap where it is if everybody is working if everybody is doing pretty well and you'll see more entrepreneurs if you see more entrepreneurs you'll see more competition if you see more competition then the wealth gap is gonna to close because these companies that have been super companies or super wealthy for years now face competition they never faced in the past 

KT: What's your ideal economic system? 

WJ: I mean i love capitalism but i think we oughta get back to the core of capitalism where its supposed to be there for everyone where everyone has a fair chance um you know everybody has the opportunity to be great and because of our class system everybody can't be great because everybody can’t everybody  doesn't have the same ability to have resources or the same opportunity to get the resources such as loans grants set asides that have been put out there  for different industries everybody  doesn't have the same ability to receive those

KT: Have you ever experienced a lack of freedom?

WJ: Um ya when i was in… the biggest time, the first time for that I understood it, what oppression was um… we were in Virginia beach when I was in college on spring break and it was i guess they called it “black spring break week” or “black college spring break week” and the folks in virginia beach were not happy with it and they started rounding up a lot of college students and they actually didn’t take them to jail but they, there were two huge or three huge tennis courts in the Hampton in the Virginia beach area and they just put.. To detain these college students they put us in these tennis courts and then locked the tennis courts so people couldn’t get out and then put guards on the outside to make sure… not guards, police officers outside to make sure no one climbed over and escaped. It was a eye opening and frightening to some degree because you didn't know what was gonna happen

KT: Is there anything I haven't asked that you’d like to add?

WJ: with regards to freedom? I will say this freedom is a choice to some degree because i think freedom is about a mindset and as a country and as people we have to have the mindset that we’re gonna be free were gonna be empowered to say what we need to say as long as truth rings truth you know there’s to many people who say what they wanna say and it's not factual and its made up i'm not for opinionated freedom im for factual freedom and i think and living your truth whatever your truth is  you need to be able to live your truth and to me that's freedom.

EF: Elias

SD: Alright, first question. In the past year since you’ve been living here, what has it been like in America?

EF: It’s been different in terms of the laws, the food, traditions, holidays, the people in general. There’s a lot more variation of culture than I would see in Germany. 

SD: You mentioned the people, in general, being different. How so? 

EF: People here tend to be more sensitive to certain things and like I mentioned before, there is a lot of different culture and races. Lots of people are diversified and have very different political opinions. I’ve noticed that American people get treated much differently for their race and there have been a lot more issues because of it. 

SD: Would you say all the different racial and cultural views have an impact on one’s freedom?

EF: I would say yes because, in Germany, it says we have “freedom of speech” but there are lots of acceptions and restrictions and I feel like it’s the same here that America is considered to have freedom for everyone but people are “restricted” to their freedom because of what their race and cultural beliefs may be. 

SD: That’s very true. Ok, last question. What does freedom mean to you? What would you consider freedom here in America?

EF: Freedom to me is having the ability to openly express your opinions without any consequence basically being able to say what you want and do what you want without repercussions to the extent of the law. I would consider freedom here in America the ability to freely publicize your opinion without worrying about someone or something judging you because of where you came from or what you may have done in the past. You won’t have to worry about feeling about bad your opinions or beliefs and you should be able to embrace them.

Interviewer: What does it mean to be an American?

WU: I believe that it means to have freedom.

Interviewer: What does "freedom" mean to you?

WU: To do what I want within the confines of the law.

Interviewer: How does your perspective change your idea of freedom?

WU: I have no idea my perspective is the only one I have.

SB: To be an American is to be a citizen of the US. 

WU: What does "freedom" mean to you?

SB: Freedom means having the opportunity to be who you want to be and the right to make your own choices. Freedom also comes with responsibility, while you can make certain choices, if you exercising that right causes harm to others then there are consequences. 

AS: I'm able to do mostly what I want my freedoms afforded to me as a woman, as a minority. That I may be equal with everybody for the most part.

GW: Okay. Now my next question is, what is freedom mean to you?

AS: Being able to choices.

GW: Okay, and now my final question: how does perspective change your idea of freedom?

AS: Well, I mean, I come from a society where I don't have voices. I could go somewhere like America where I do. It does sound different, doesn't it?

GW: Alright, even I didn't have to ask you this, I want to ask you, have you ever experienced a lack of freedom? 

AS: We all do growing up just because, you know, your parents have no choices you're gonna make. You want to be a good one so right one. And so, when you are younger, you have not as much freedom as you do when you're older, but it comes with more responsibility, just like driving a car.

TW: To be free. To pursue any desire I may have to pursue.

GW: What else could it mean to you?

TW: An opportunity to be better or in a better position than my parents were.

GW: Okay. Now, my next question: what does freedom mean to you?

TW: Freedom is the ability to follow your desires and dreams without excessive control.

GW: All right. Now finally, how does your perspective change your idea of freedom?

TW: Perspective changes your idea of freedom since depending on your history, you have a stricter government or leader or country or culture could change what the word freedom means to you.

GW: What do you mean by that?

TW: I mean, if you came from a culture or country where a very successive government control or sets of cultural restrictions on what you can and cannot do, the definition or the value of freedom may mean more.

V: Have you ever felt a lack of freedom? 

WC: Yeah I guess, sometimes my mom's like, you can't do that dumb stuff. For example, my mom says, Hey, you can't set your hand on fire because it's gonna hurt. I'm not free because my mom didn't let me set my hand on fire. You know, it did hurt. I held it for too long.

BC: That's a big rabbit hole for me. But, In the most general sense, Freedom is the ability to pursue happiness in my life. The ability to become what I want to become. I have financial freedom.

WC: All right. What does it mean to be an American?

BC: That means living in the greatest nation on Earth. A nation that is ruled by the rule of law, which was established with our Constitution and the Bill of Rights. You do not hear of any other country having anything similar to the American dream. There's no English dream, French dream, European dream.

America is exceptional. And I love being part of it.

WC: Question number three. Have you ever felt a lack of freedom. 

BC: Yes. As a child, with parents, When I joined the military. When I was in school, when I've been in bad jobs. That's pretty much it. All those things kind of have one, one thing in common and that's like you had a commitment that you had to key, and that means you weren't necessarily pursuing your happiness.

KB: “Seems great to me I mean, freedom at least.”

VM: “Well what does freedom mean to you?”
KB: “We get to move around… nobody’s on your back all the time or keeping you tied down all the time.”

VM: “Do you think your perspective’s ever changed on what you think freedom is?”

KB: “No”

First of all, what does Freedom mean to you? 

I think freedom means to me- I mean, what I think Freedom means to me is that I guess we can just like, live with each other without having to worry about or like, you know, fear for our lives every day. And just like, I guess, like be happy with each other be who we are. And I don’t know, I guess just the basics of freedom if there is any. 

Do you think that we’re free right now? 

Honestly, probably not. Especially with all the stuff that’s been going on, like around the world and like, how we’re still trying to get over this whole virus and stuff. I’d say we’re probably- We’re pretty much not free right now. 

Have you ever felt like that we ever had true freedom in the first place? 

That’s... That’s kind of tough. I mean I haven’t been on this- I mean I haven’t been on this Earth- I haven’t been on this World for much long. So, within the years that I’ve been on here I- I guess I haven’t seen much of true freedom. And if you do see some true freedom, you’d probably hear about it on the news or something, but that’s about it.

 

Nick: I know you're asking that because you're my friend, and you know that I love Steven Universe. So, I mean, after watching the series, and sequel series, and movie, you know, there's a lot of ways to explain its significance. you know, it not only involves an adolescent, coming of age In America, so you're able to relate and witness you know the privileges and struggles of a modern American. And you know, the entire premise of the show is that you can be whoever you want to be, and really do it however you want to do it, you know you're the master you. You control your own life. And then this brings about you know different things, you know, different occupations different sexual orientations different races, ethnicities, ethnicities, you know. So, you know that that's really important to me and then it goes to, you know, a different level. Whenever it incorporates a lot of the mental health stuff and helping people with their own problems and you know, not everybody has that luxury. I can guarantee that, you know if you're living in it. You know, South Africa, where there's less funding and different things so that's a terrible comparison, but you know it's accurate. You know, you're not gonna have that same level of, you know, mental health help and acceptance that you would have, like in Russia, in the LGBTQ plus community is very rarely accepted and in fact, ridiculed about most of the time you'll and I'm sitting here overlooking. Another big picture, You know, you're at your you are able to know what Steven Universe is and ask me questions about it whenever in other countries, you know, most people wouldn't even know what that is. You know what's even, you know, what are you talking about, sounds like something I'd hate

Lucy: You bring up a good point with like censorship in other places, a lot of countries like self-censor, LGBTQ movies and TV shows.

Me: It means following the rules, basically, and if you don't, then it's bad for you. 

Ari: Yeah. 

Ari: What does freedom mean to you? 

Me: It means being able to do what you want without anybody judging you or criticizing you. 

Ari: Hmm, yeah, sure. 

Ari: How is American Freedom portrayed in mass media versus how it is in reality, and mass media?

Me: It is portrayed as doing what you want, saying what you want, believing what you want, but in reality, you barely get to do any of those things because of the government and other people’s views.

My name is Lucas Cutler.

All right, so what do you think freedom is.

I believe that freedom is the the right to make choices, within certain constraints.

Could you elaborate on constraints?

Sure, when you live in a society there are things you must sacrifice. It doesn't mean you don't have options just a few less. Generally being so others don't get hurt.

Alright, and do you believe freedom exists in the world right now?

I do. I think freedom for us will persist as long as our race lives. That may have sounded naive. This however I truly believe and just like many a different time if freedom does not exist in a place the people will rise up. That's why so many places that attempt to restrict freedom will quash hopes of rebellion right off the bat. But it does not matter the people will always rise.

All right thanks for speaking.

Sure

Okay. Okay. So, what does freedom mean to you?

Alejandro Gomez  0:41  

When you're not like- when you're not being held captive, and people—people don't tell you like what you can do when can't" 

 Kaleb Wilcox that's also another question that you have to look at both sides one, the first thing that comes to my head is the just difference in news channels because News, the news like ABC, FOX. Good Morning America all those places, they are as much as they might say or might not say that their bias 100% So, they will always have different opinions on that question. And if you watch one or the other, then you'll have a different answer on this, but for me, I'm blanking on the question

Interview 

I don't have a favorite novel with anything, but it. I have read a couple books where people are persecuted or will the littlest things. Perfect. And in what way are they persecuted, what books. I can't think of one off the top of my head but I've read so many that there are the little things like someone being a little different, you know, having six toes. For example, I don't know, you know, stuff like that, that can make people just feel alienated.

That's a good example. So, um, what is your definition of truth, freedom, and how do you believe that we can better freedom to animate like based off of what we already....

Interview 

Sandra Cutler,

all right Sandra what does freedom mean to you?

Nothing complicated; More than anything I think it means having options, having choices. When I think about it I think about all the places that don't historically have all the options and choices that we have here in the United States. When I was a teenager, I grew up in a time where there's something we called the Eastern Bloc, and those people barely even had food they didn't get to choose. They did not even get to choose something as small as what they ate...

True freedom is neither good or bad. True freedom is neutral and blind. For freedom just means the ability to do whatever you want, whenever you want. But placing restrictions automatically disqualifies that as freedom, in my opinion. But, yes, I do believe that freedom will be good for most, if not all the people, but it will lead to good or bad things of the future. As anything would.

As you said, freedom is definitely a sort of gray area when it comes to morality in terms. But at the same time, do you think people would use their true freedom to lord it over others, you know?

Yes. 

So, if I were to talk about freedom, and the best way to have it for everyone, when it just basically ended up being everyone sort of living separately doing their own thing?

There will be the ability to do collaborations; there will be the ability to live amongst one another. But everybody is not everybody. People are separate. People have to have their own space in the end. Everything has to be separated. Which means yes, the ability to live by yourself for yourself is definitely within the realm of question.

Okay. So, what does it mean to be an American? To you.

Chris Wilcox  

To be an American means that I have the right to choose to vote for my leaders that I feel as though, would best represent my beliefs and where I want either my town or my city, my state, or my country to go to. It also means that I have freedom, to be able to practice whatever religion I desire to have my children to be able to grow up and go to school or college or university that they choose so that they can become, you know whatever profession that they desire.

             FULL INTERVIEW 

Skyla Wilson  0:43  

Not being told what to do. 

Sara Turner  0:46  

They don't have to be literal definitions, if you're comfortable elaborating? 

Skyla Wilson  0:50  

Okay, okay. I just need time to think... Alright. So freedom. So, freedom to me, really, is like, not being told what to do, I guess. Kind of like... I just saw Katie's “my body my choice” [points to a bag in the room we are sitting in] which for me, represents freedom. Having the ability to do whatever you want is freedom, while bearings and rules prevent chaos. For example, in my photography class, we had a lot of freedom to do what we wanted, but we still had assignments that we needed to do. So, like I had the freedom to take as many pictures as I wanted, of whatever I wanted, but I had to have at least 15. In my opinion, freedom doesn't always mean no rules whatsoever, but you still have the freedom to do other things.

Link to full document: 

Amanda: Freedom to me means that I’m free to make my own decisions, and have responsibility for myself. For example, I'm just really excited for when I go to college, and I’ll finally be free from my parents; to make my own decisions and not being, not having to like, not having to rely on anyone else, and not having to listen to or think about like my parent’s schedule, I am my own person. I have my own rights. Sure it’s a big responsibility, but it’s worth it you know?

|

|

Nayeli: What does being an american mean to you?

Amanda: Well, like, America, stole everything that it has now. And to be frank, I don't want to be an American.

Nayeli: And you're just not that patriotic? I'm trying. It just means like you're really proud for your nation-

Amanda: Oh yeah I'm not proud, or like I'm ashamed- I'm ashamed of them. 

Nayeli: The thing is, I understand what you're trying to say, you're trying to say you want to change America for the better. But right now it's just really upsetting to watch from a distance and even in the States. I understand what you mean.

Barbara Turner  0:27  

I think being an American, to me, is definitely a part of my identity. Being an American means that you hold certain things as very important. It's basically a set of values, beliefs.

Sara Turner  0:45  

Okay. Do you want to elaborate on said values? Like, provide some examples? 

Barbara Turner  0:51  

Oh, well, for example, the big ones: freedom of religion, freedom of choice, freedom to move about a country as you want. All kinds of freedoms that are basically baked into the identity of being an American.

Okay. What does freedom mean to you?

 I guess to me, freedom means the ability to go about my day-to-day and live my life in the way that I see fit, and making decisions and choices for myself within the parameters of the law.

Link to Full Document: 

Lucy: My favorite book? so one of my favorite books is good omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, and it is basically about these, an angel and the demon that are fighting to stop Armageddon from happening because they want to still have all of its amenities like little book shops or nice music or musicals that are not. The Sound of Music. So they're working to keep the Earth, free from the angels and the demons that both want Armageddon to start so they can fight in the war, whatever.

Lucy: that relates to American freedom because they're trying to help the world be free, even though it's in England it's not in America but you get what I mean.

Nick: Yeah, and that's actually pretty cool, and wars are a very big subject in American history. So I like how you kind of related that back but um, anyway on my next question. Is there ever been a time where you haven't felt free? Whenever I say that I mean, like, not free to express your opinion or thoughts through your writing or speech, or clothes; really just anything.

Lucy: Yes, I was at a Christian camp and I do not feel like elaborating on that. Nothing else pops to my mind instantly like an example. There have been a lot of times where I felt like I had to censor myself to make other people feel comfortable or people told me to like. This is difficult. I'm not expecting these questions. 

Repeat please.

Nayeli Martinez  0:51  

Okay, answer this one, what does it mean to be an American?

Michelle Kirkman  0:56  

To live in America.

Nayeli Martinez  1:00  

All right. What does freedom mean to you?

Michelle Kirkman  1:04  

Being free, no, no, no, no. Mmm hmm. I don't know. What does it mean? Oh, I got it now! being able to do what I want, when I want, whenever, yeah.

Horrible.

Why was that?

Because I said so.

Where are you from?

San Diego.

What kind of rules did you have when you were in san diego?

Don’t scream. Or else I get a beating. Get that. Oh, is your random like my free. And what sent people to do stuff. What kind of stuff. Like I know, watch the TV, eat, sleep, freedom, what does freedom mean to you now. I don't know.

What does freedom mean to you now? And do you think that meaning will change?

The ability to do what I want when I want, The same thing that same thing that's what it mean

Isabella  0:30  

I guess, I feel really fortunate to live in a country where we have so much privilege, and we have so many advantages and infrastructure. And so, I take a lot of pride in being part of that country.... But I don't know that my country's identity is that important to me as just being part of the general human race. Like, I don't think of myself as being more allegiant to America than any other country, if that makes sense. 

Sara Turner  1:15  

Yeah, absolutely. Okay, what is freedom to you?

Isabella  1:20  

Um, I guess it means that I can do what I want as long as it's not harming someone else. And that is something I really value. Being able to do what I want, and think what I want, and say what I want, as long as it's not doing direct harm to someone else.

Jackie: Well in recent years, obviously, we, we as a society have been working to reveal everyone's like past and true colors with the use of hashtag cancel culture but. Yeah, I feel like in the earlier years of social media, and educational lessons that we were taught in school, we, were taught the lighter side of things, if you will, we were taught the more positive. We didn't talk about the specifics, or how these people actually did some pretty messed up things. No, I don't think there's truly a, like, really good person or a really bad person. Everyone is just filled with all these emotions. So yeah, that’s my final answer.

Amanda Zrubek: Okay, but yeah, that's all the questions I have. Do you have any more comments? 

Jackie  

We won the war!

Yes.Yes, so they were all very different. In Arkansas, I lived in a very very small town. And I was younger, which was perfect because all I wanted to do was play outside and play on the lake bank. So I didn't miss any of the things like there was no movie theater. There was only one stoplight in the town and I had drive a long way to get to school. But since I was younger and all I cared about was running around playing that didn't really didn't bother me. When I moved, I was in middle school is about the time that I started to want to do other things, and we moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, which was a bigger city. So there was a lot of things to do. And it kind of timed out, perfect for, you know where I was in my life, and then went to college, state in North Carolina went to NC State, lived in Raleigh. And, you know that was a totally different experience right living away from home. And then after that, I had studied abroad while being in college and really wanted to live abroad and really wanted to learn another language. So I would say Germany was very different in the fact that the whole time I was there I was trying to speak as much in another language, and travel do as much traveling as I could before I you know I had a real job, even though I was doing an internship while I was in Germany. I did work a little bit but the focus was really travel. Then I came to DC, a much bigger area bigger city, and work there and got a lot of experience and got married, had you had my first child, and then by that time we were ready to leave the big city because I was tired of standing in traffic. And so we came to Chapel Hill. And it's great, I'm able to do the same thing I'm able to work but not deal with some of the congestion from the city

In your work do you experience restrictions on your creative freedoms?

Yes. Um, I think when you're working for a client, you can try to lead them the best that you can. 

Keaghan: Keaghan

Kaleb Wilcox:Where are you originally from?

Keaghan: Rhode Island.

Kaleb Wilcox: Okay, and when did you move to North Carolina. 

Keaghan: When I was three. 

Kaleb Wilcox: Okay, so what does it mean to be an American to you

Keaghan: to be held responsible to make sure that we all are doing the right thing because the authority doesn't do their jobs. 

Kaleb Wilcox: Okay, so what does the word freedom mean to you?

Keaghan: doing whatever I want, no matter what.

Kaleb Wilcox: Okay. So how is American freedom portrayed in mass media versus how it is in reality. So like the news?

Keaghan: In mass media, it's portrayed as something glorious but in reality, it can be something that can be easily taken away.

Kaleb Wilcox: Do you think that's for all media do you

think that's the case, glorify it. 

Keaghan:Yeah.
 

Kaleb Wilcox: Okay. So, what is the time in your life that you didn't feel free or felt restricted?

Keaghan: school 

Kaleb Wilcox: How so?

Keaghan: Dress code. 

Kaleb Wilcox: Okay, anything else?

Keaghan: Work with the dress code thing with being able to express myself.

Kaleb Wilcox: Okay, so back to what you said with the mass media, you think that. So, do you think that the mass media is all together, or do you think it's divided based on sides?

Keaghan: I think can be divided. Depending on how you look at it

Kaleb Wilcox: Okay, do you think that both sides, both talk about that freedom is glorious?

Keaghan: No

Kaleb Wilcox: ok, you said no. So what without naming like sides and people. What is that side that doesn't, or what do they talk about, about freedom?

Keaghan:Usually how they think the authority is wrong.

Kaleb Wilcox: Okay, well, That's it. Thank you. Great interview.

Caden Bailey. 

All right. And now it’s time to ask you some questions. 

What do you think is freedom to you, like what is your definition of freedom? 

Right. Do you believe that freedom to you exists right now, like happening all over? 

Right. Do believe that it is possible for these other countries to obtain said freedom? 

We moved to New York City, when I was about three or four. And then we moved to Tennessee, Jackson, Tennessee, when I was about five, that's where I started school. And then we moved to Virginia. When I was about six. 

Would you say that's where you spent the majority of your life?

Yes, definitely.

over the course of your life have you seen changes in society?

Oh yes, seeing, seeing probably quite a few.

I think women have advanced in society over the past 50 years quite a bit. 

In how many rights?

Yeah, Yes, socially and in rights, no longer just the home keeper, but career persons.

So, you've worked for the Navy Is there anything you couldn't do while you worked for the Navy?

Yeah, no I pretty much had top clearance. So if I was able to handle most of the classified information. There's a very high rate compartmentalised which I did not have access to.

My definition of Freedom is to be able to do whatever you want and to be whoever you want to be without being punished or judged based on their ideals and beliefs. 

Do you think there's freedom in the world right now? 

I feel like there's freedom in certain parts of the world, there's different types of freedom for different types of people for different parts of the world.