The Daily Herald asked nine Utah County residents to explain what freedom means to them.

Daniel Olguin

Payson

Centro Hispano employee

I could have been an entirely different person were it not for coming to the United States. Often I ponder what my life would have been like without the freedoms that I have now. My family and I emigrated from Chile with small means and one simple goal, opportunity. We sold everything we could sell, from our home and furniture and even down to our silverware. With only $3,000 and two briefcases of clothing we traveled to the United States.

I was too young at the time to realize the sacrifices my parents made for me. When we arrived in the states on June 1, 1998, we had no one expecting us at the airport. It was my mother who made friends with a young couple in one of the terminals who let us stay for a couple of nights, which allowed us to stay out of the streets. When we were settled into our first apartment, my father, not knowing a bit of English, got whatever job he could and worked non-stop, sleeping only a couple hours a day for an entire year, to sustain our family. Later my parents would work day and night switching turns with my little sister and me without a single complaint or regret. We always had a parent in the home and I remember them at all times full of energy and enthusiasm when they were with me. I never knew just how tired and worn out they were by the time they got home to play with us. It wasn't until several years later that I realized just how incredible my parents were, and are still.

Because of the freedoms that I have and the opportunities that I can take part in, my lifelong goals and dreams have been raised to heights that I know I couldn't have accomplished elsewhere. What outweighed the hardships of coming to an unknown land with an unknown language was the promise of freedom, a promise that I believe is still very much alive today. My passion is music, and my goals are set high for studies in composing and orchestration. When I return from my mission in South Houston Texas, I plan to take up my career path with goals set on entering into Juilliard, something that I would have never dreamed of had I never come to the United States. This Independence Day, I am reminded not only of the sacrifices that brave men and women have made for our country, but also of the sacrifices of my own parents who gave their all, that I might have a better life. Through the freedoms that I have in this land and the opportunity that it offers, I know that there is no challenge that we can't overcome.

Sergio Cuevas

Orem

Electrical engineer

That's a wonderful question, and the reason that becoming a U.S. citizen was the best decision of my life. Freedom, to me, is the right to have the opportunities to progress and do it without being oppressed. It's taking advantage of the all the great opportunities in the United States thanks to the freedoms we have and doing something with them. We are not oppressed through a government that controls everything, although we are getting that way with the new philosophy. We are getting oppression where the government is too big and controlling a lot of our freedoms.

Freedom is not doing anything you want to do. It's about doing things for other people and the benefit of humanity. That's real freedom. Freedom is not to do mean things that will hurt other people.

When I lived in Mexico, I felt oppression. I was more afraid of the police department than anything else. You don't feel completely free. You are constantly afraid of something. The places where I lived, they had bars on the windows, bars on front yards; you live in a cage because of the oppression. It's not only being taken advantage of by police power but also creating a society that is hunting each other, taking advantage of every one else. That is not right.

I still have family there; I still visit. It's just a shock to go there and see how they live. You can see why people have a tendency to look for something better, and why people are risking their lives to come to this country. Not just from Mexico but from other countries too. There's a God-given tendency to search for progression, for happiness. It's natural. Every human being has it. That's why there's the determination to find the right place with freedoms and with a desire to progress.

We need to limit government. We shouldn't let government grow so big. We should really have a say on the things that the Congress is doing. They seem to be slipping away from us. We have a say, but then it's ignored. Congress doesn't listen and government is growing too big. We need to have a smaller government like the Founding Fathers intended, and people should have a say.

I believe that people that come over here need to obey the law. If they come over here, they should come over here legally. If they come here they need to obey the laws. If they're looking for a better way of life, they should bring their good habits. Immigration laws should be enforced more rigidly. We are having too many immigrants that come over here and break the laws. I went through all the right processes to come to this country, and I'm very proud to be a U.S. citizen. I vote every chance I have to exercise my rights.

Kellie Nelson

Provo

Homemaker

To me freedom means that you can live your own life. You make your own decisions and choices and no one can control your life for you. No one makes your decisions for you. But it also means that you have to live with the consequences of the choices that you make, whether they be good or bad.

I believe that it would be impossible for me to be truly happy if I didn't enjoy all of the freedoms that I do. That's why I feel so blessed that I've been born into this nation because I can enjoy so many freedoms.

I can live my own life and make my own choices. I can raise my family how I want to, worship how I want to. Because of all these freedoms, I'm grateful to live in this country and be able to be as happy as I can.

Click here to listen to Kellie's interview.

Jack Marvell

Provo

Founder of Marvellous Catering

Freedom is the most precious thing we have. It is a gift from God. Freedom, good health and the love of loved ones are the only things that are worth anything at all.

I served my country during the Vietnam War in the U.S. Navy. I think freedom means being honest. If we do that, we can be free. If we have people promising to give us something for nothing, we have to ask them where it's coming from, and we have to be careful whether we should take it. Our freedoms are beginning to deteriorate as more people are unwilling to go to work and more are willing to take something for nothing. As long as we're willing to go to work every day, we won't be looking to someone else to take care of us. If all we do is take, then it takes away our freedom.

Every day on the television and the newspapers, we see politicians making promises, promising to give us free health care. Health care can't be free. Nothing can be free. Food can't be free and mortgages can't be free.

There isn't anyone who doesn't feel insecure. We all feel vulnerable, and we all wonder about tomorrow. It would be nice if things ran smoothly all the time, and some are willing to sell their souls to feel secure about things. But if it comes at the expense of someone else's labor, then I'm not sure if that's a good thing.

Since the Declaration of Independence was signed more than 200 years ago, it's been a downward spiral. The people of America are still the most giving people in the world. There are still a lot of good things being done, but each and every year there are growing numbers of people who are receiving something for nothing.

I'm 65 and eligible for Social Security benefits. When I draw on Social Security, I'd like to make-believe I'm drawing on my own money. But that money is gone, so I'm going to continue to work until I drop, and I think everybody should do that. Everybody should go to work every day because it's an honorable thing to do.

James R. Taylor

Utah County

Judge, 4th District Court

To me, I think freedom is the ability to make choices and enjoy or be responsible for the consequences. Most of the time what I am called upon to do is to ensure the very thing that I just described and that is to enable people to either enjoy or be responsible for choices they have made, so I think my definition of freedom is absolutely colored by my perception of what I do every day.

I hope (criminals whose freedom is taken away) makes them appreciate it more. I see a lot of tragedy. I see a lot of happiness in court, adoptions. There's always a winner and a loser in civil cases. I see a lot of people feeling justified, protected.

There are a lot of winners in court cases, but also losers. You hope, especially in criminal cases, you hope that when someone is deprived of their freedom that it makes a difference in their life, because if there are not consequences in making a choice that harms the rest of us, then the choice will continue to be made, and the rest of us will continue to be harmed.

RaOla Lee

Provo

Homemaker

To think we have a constitution that will guide us right if we just ... don't stop trying to take it apart or treat it like a piece of paper. I love our Constitution and I love all the things that go with it. All those documents. And I wish we would all get more acquainted with them because I think then we would all know how much our freedom means.

It doesn't just mean that you go to the government and that they will provide you your needs. That's what other countries have done and they've all been alike. ... And the country doesn't go forward because they've lost freedom.

They are under the control of those who feed them, who clothe them, who give them their living. I feel that freedom is so much more than that. It gives a right to earn our rights and our living. It is such a blessing to have a free country and I hope we don't lose it

Click here to listen to RaOla's interview.

Todd Holbrook

Provo

Senior, BYU

Intern, Utah County Health Department

I have my life ahead of me. I am 23 years old, married, and there are about as many forks in my life's road as there are in my silverware drawer. Freedom allows me to choose.

To me, freedom creates a future for me and my family to believe what we want to believe, to seek after the things we desire, to work hard for our own success, and to learn and grow without limitations. America's strongest cultural quality is allowing individuals like me to become who they want to become.

Although freedom makes one free, I think it also requires a bit of righteousness. There is no point in having freedom if evil people abuse it, taking away your own. In this regard, freedom and justice go hand in hand - another reason why America is so great.

Freedom is often thought to be freely given or easily acquired, but I have yet to see an instance where that is true. Many people gave their lives for the freedom of this country's people and I don't think that freedom will continue without valiant people who are passionate about America, their neighbors, and their own future. I hope I can be one of them.

Ula B. Hemingway

Alpine

Homemaker, VFW Ladies Auxiliary

Freedom is not free. Securing it is not a "spectator sport." You are either paying for freedom with support, sacrifice and service or you are free because someone else has paid the price for you.

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you - Jesus Christ and the American soldier. One died for your soul; the other for your freedom.

Three things are very important to me - America, the American flag and freedom. One cannot think of one without the others.

America - as the song says - "This is my country, land of my birth. This is my country, grandest on earth. I pledge thee my allegiance. America the bold. For this is my country, to have and to hold."

The flag is not only the symbol of America, but reminds me of my priceless heritage, life, liberty and the right to pursue happiness, where one may freely worship, think, write and speak.

Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the "freedom to make mistakes." Freedom gives us the right to accept challenges so we may improve.

You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has freedom.

There are lot of ways we can pay for freedom, not just the military. Get involved in your community.

Jacqueline Thompson

North Utah County

Deseret Industries

Until two months ago, Jacqueline Thompson was under house arrest with an ankle bracelet for 62 days at her north Utah County home. She had been found guilty of driving under the influence of prescription medication.

A Deseret Industries employee, she has more freedom and has grown to appreciate what she has.

"I don't take the small things for granted, just being able to talk to my neighbors, being able to walk up to the store and grab something, being able to go to church when I wish, just being able to take a 3-mile walk and exercise. Being able to make cookies and pass them out to everybody and thank them for helping me."

She said being under house arrest wasn't as bad as jail. She could call her neighbors, she got to eat what she wanted and when she wanted, and was able to take the medicines she felt she needed. She could read what she wanted and watch what she wanted.

The negative side of house arrest was she had to get permission to go anywhere, grab something at the store, go to a church activity, and sometimes that was difficult.

"When we are incarcerated we appreciate more what we can do that we couldn't do before," she said. "We as Americans can make choice decisions about who we are and what we do. Don't take for granted the simple things we are allowed to do in life and in this country."

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