Dr. Steven F. Hotze has signed on as one of the "TITLE SPONSORS" of the "Proud Americans Celebrating Freedom Together" series in his business capacity. Details of the “TITLE SPONSORSHIP” agreement between Hotze Health & Wellness Center and Aubrey R. Taylor Communications are undisclosed at this time.
Thoughts on Freedom and Liberty
Steven F. Hotze, M.D.
The Bible clearly teaches that “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). This means that everyone has chosen to violate God’s standards, as written in the Scriptures, and is enslaved to sin and under God’s righteous judgment. God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem us from the penalty of our sins and to give new life to anyone who would accept Him.
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2)
Biblical Christianity instructs us that in Christ we are free to practice whatever is good, right, honorable, holy and pure. Our liberty in Christ Jesus does not give us license to do as we please. “Live as free people, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as a servant of God.” (1 Peter 2:16)
Atheistic Communism rejects God and His law, and exists in direct opposition to the revealed truth in the Bible. Communism exalts the totalitarian state and its rulers as the final arbiters of right and wrong. Biblical Christianity exalts God as the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. His laws and standards have the ultimate authority on how an individual should conduct himself.
Freedom and liberty for an individual, and for society at large, can only exist as we submit under the Sovereignty of Almighty God. “His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and His dominion rules throughout all generations.” (Psalm 145:13)
Where God’s law is forsaken, there is tyranny. “Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive with them.” (Proverbs 28:4)
Opposition to tyranny is obedience to God. Christians must demonstrate the liberty that they have in Christ by opposing the forces of evil and wickedness that are seeking to destroy both Christianity and our American Constitutional Republic.
Congressman Kevin Brady Discusses What Freedom Means to Him
CONGRESSMAN KEVIN BRADY: “Freedom is everything. But what Freedom will never be is free. Freedom is a precious gift that our veterans and our fallen have secured for us and continue to secure for us.
Being an American is about being free.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior said “we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom.” He was so right that “a man can't ride you unless your back is bent.”
As Americans we must always stand proud and tall for freedom and against injustice. We must have faith to take the harder path with the greatest rewards. Being a servant leader will never be the easy path, but it is the most rewarding path.
Serving my constituents and my state in Washington, DC is an honor that I do not take lightly. It’s my duty to preserve freedom for all Americans. As Dr. King said “The time is always right to do what is right.” That time is now.”
Angelique Bartholomew Shares Her Thoughts on Freedom to her
ANGELIQUE BARTHOLOMEW: “As an African American Female being asked what freedom means to me is a challenging question to address. Freedom symbolizes a multitude of things. As a woman, Freedom is the right to choose and control my own destiny, make choices and participate in society on any level without any ceiling. As an African American it means to be able to perform at my greatest potential and not worry that I will be judged or overlooked for my skin color and hair texture before having the chance to prove that I am great!
Freedom is not personalizing the many misconceptions that strangers or family members may have of who they envision me to be and being sure of who I AM. Being Free is in so many ways to, just be authentically you.
Freedom is continually breaking chains that have locked away my confidence; breaking my own invisible mental and emotional limitations. Freedom is learning but even more important, unlearning the ways of the world. Being on the receiving end of growth and change. Even Rosa Parks road the back of the Bus before making History. Freedom to Me is making my mark in History.”
Judge Toria J. Finch Discusses What Freedom Means to Her
JUDGE TORIA J FINCH: “Notwithstanding of the fact that the literal meaning of freedom is defined as the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved, when I think of what freedom means to me personally, I immediately think of sacrifices. Freedom never stands alone in my mind, but it is accompanied with thoughts of longsuffering and sacrifices. Since the beginning of time, the freedoms that we at times carelessly possess, whether it is the freedom of physical liberties, the freedom of thought, the freedom of religion, the freedom to love, or the freedom to simply exist in a space and time without inequality or injustice, it all has been achieved at the expense of the many sacrifices of those that came before us, and the many women and men that continue to fight for us on the grand stages of the battlefields of the world and our local communities. Although, easily taken for granted, freedom is something that if we don’t continue to vigorously protect, we stand to lose, because unfortunately freedom is just not free.”
Justice Ken Wise Discusses What Freedom Means to Him
JUSTICE KEN WISE: “Freedom means the ability to achieve whatever you want and live however you want based on your own talent and willingness to work hard. The United States of America was founded on this ideal. Our founders desired a society with a very limited government designed only to protect the nation and foster the commerce that would help everyone succeed. Our founders wanted to avoid a big government, which restricts freedom. Our founders want to avoid oppressive and voluminous laws, which restrict freedom. I pray for a return to the idea that each of us can succeed if we respect each other, work hard and develop our talents.”
Judge Shannon Baldwin Discusses What Freedom Means to Her
JUDGE SHANNON BALDWIN: “Freedom means the ability to have choices without restraint. Typically, I’ve always associated freedom of choice with education. The better education, the better your choices are and the more freedom you achieve. While that is true, I’ve learned that we still have a long way to go to achieve real freedom.
Our society must strive to achieve freedom of ALL of our marginalized communities. We should eliminate homelessness, focus on mental health and wealth should not determine a person’s value. One’s sexual preference or identity should not be life threatening!
Your rights end where the next person’s rights begin!”
Diane Trautman Discusses What Free Means to Her
DR. DIANE TRAUTMAN: “Freedom comes in many forms – the ability for each of us to practice our chosen faith, share our differing opinions, and vote for candidates that represent us. Elections are one way we celebrate freedom beyond Independence Day, and I believe each citizen should earnestly exercise that right and responsibility in every election, large or small.”
Judge Angela Graves Harrington Discusses What Freedom Means to Her
JUDGE ANGELA GRAVES HARRINGTON: “Freedom is the absence of mental or physical enslavement. Freedom is the ability to boldly walk into your destiny without being tied to the expectations or doubts of others. Freedom is the realization of one’s full potential and the right to exist in authenticity. Freedom is “an absolute equality of personal rights.” Freedom is, quite simply, being free.”
Judge Beau Miller Discusses What Freedom Means to Him
JUDGE BEAU MILLER: “We have a complicated relationship with freedom in this country, because the Enlightenment values on which we were founded, while progressive at the time, only applied to land-holding men. Women, people of color, of differing cultural and economic backgrounds, of different sexual orientations, and people of diverse faiths all had to fight not just for liberty, but for basic equality. “We, the people,” means everyone.
What freedom means to me is the upholding of laws that advance personal freedoms, and which embrace the joyous diversity we all share.
It is how a person acts that gives their true measure: acting without prejudice, discrimination, or harm, but acting with openness, generosity, and goodness.
As the Transcendentalist Theodor Parker so memorably said, who inspired Martin Luther King, Jr. and I believe his words now more than ever, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice”. Justice and the law are freedom.”
Judge David C. Newell Discusses What Freedom Means to Him
JUDGE DAVID C. NEWELL: “At the risk of stating the obvious, "freedom" means a lot of different things to different people. People find its meaning in the inspirational words of Martin Luther King, Jr. or maybe even a popular song. But one thing that I have observed about freedom is that people, including myself, do not seem to think specifically about what it means to them on a regular basis.
If you look at the dictionary definition it can mean the quality of being free as in the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action. It certainly means that to me as I often marvel at little things many of us take for granted such as the ability to catch a quick bite to eat at a fast-food restaurant. But I also see it quite often in the big things like the ability to vote for who will be my voice in passing the laws that will govern my daily life.
And that leads me to another definition of freedom, that of a political right. It is a great paradox that our freedoms are based upon our responsibilities as citizens of the United States to participate in the process of self-governance. You can feel that responsibility not only in those little reminders such as a notice for jury duty, but also in the eyes of soldiers returning from foreign soil where they fought to bring freedom to others and preserve it for us at home.
So perhaps that is what freedom means most to me. Those dictionary definitions and real-life examples serve as humbling reminders of how truly blessed I am to live in a country with so much freedom that I rarely have to question my access to it. And they also serve to obligate me to exercise that freedom in a way that preserves that liberty for my family, my friends, and my fellow citizens.”
Constable Herschel Smith Discusses What Freedom Means to Him
CONSTABLE HERSCHEL SMITH: “When I think of freedom, I imagine all the slaves and activists who fought and died for me. Now I have the freedom and right to act and speak as I want without physical hindrance or enslavement. One may ask are we really free though? I would say good question because in order to really be free we have to break chains from the inside by freeing our minds from bondage and be bold enough to take that first step. We have the right to stand up for ourselves and what we believe in. Standing up for ourselves allows our light to shine so that others can imitate that power. As a veteran who served in the U.S. Army, I have seen the good and indifferences in people of all dimensions. I now understand that we are so much more alike than different, but in most cases our circumstances determine the outcome of the choices we make. I am empowered because I have the ability to make choices and face the consequences of my decisions – which is my responsibility. Freedom for me begins from within. So, let’s start there and not allow anyone to take that away from you.”
Councilwoman Martha Castex Tatum Discusses Freedom Means to Her
COUNCILWOMAN MARTHA CASTEX TATUM: “Freedom is a beautiful and powerful word. The meaning of freedom for each person is shaped by their environment and their sphere of influence. My parents encouraged me to never stop learning and to value education and life lessons. I was encouraged to sacrifice and work hard during my early years so I would have a knowledge base leading me to recognize the importance of being free from enslavement of the mind, potential bad jobs, unhealthy relationships, unnecessary debt or anything that threatens your peace and hope. Freedom is also about knowing when to push and pull for yourself and others. It is the limitless thoughts that allow you to live without boundaries while being keenly aware that decisions have consequences. Freedom is my desire to inspire others to limitless thinking and the preservation of being free.
Freedom is a state of mind and we were chosen to be free. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
Trustee Danyahel Norris Discusses What Freedom Means to Him
DANYAHEL NORRIS: “The word “freedom” is generally defined as a lack of any restriction. In the social and personal context, it means so much more. In the social context, it means the ability for each person to pursue their dreams and passions, without any hindrances. I believe it’s what the founding fathers had in mind when they included the phrase “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence. While there are a variety of things that have derailed these plans for many in our society, like slavery, racism, poverty, and a variety of other factors, I believe it is the society we should strive to be. A society which removes any hindrances from citizens as they use their God-given abilities to make this world a better place.
Personally, the word freedom represents even more. It represents a long line of ancestors who came to this country several generations ago. Some willingly, and some in bondage. I think of my 4th great-grandmother, Judy Crocker, who was born a free negro around the same time and same county as Nat Turner. I think of my parents, who were the first generation in their families to go to college. I think of long conversations between myself and my wife, regarding the dreams we are still pursuing. Last, but not least, I think of my children’s dreams and aspirations, as they grow and prepare to make their mark on this world.”
Judge Ramona Franklin Discusses What Freedom Means to Her
JUDGE RAMONA FRANKLIN: “Freedom reminds me of a beautifully handcrafted quilt. Each patch in the quilt symbolizes the uniqueness of one being permitted to live the way a person chooses to live without unlawful restraints. One patch that is crafted in the quilt of freedom stands for one to live in the United States with the opportunity to lawfully speak his or her mind without being censored. Another patch that is crafted in the quilt of freedom is the right of religion. The third patch that is crafted in the quilt of freedom allows a woman the right to make decisions for her own body. The fourth patch that is crafted in the quilt of freedom allows a law-abiding citizen to live anywhere they desire to live. The fifth patch that is crafted in the quilt of freedom is the ability to receive an education. The sixth patch that is crafted in the quilt of freedom is the ability for one to think as one wants without constraints. The last patch that is crafted in the quilt of freedom is the right of choice. Freedom symbolizes the complete handcrafted quilt that has all of its unique and beautiful patches woven together.”
Dr. Cynthia Lenton Gary Discusses Freedom and What it Means to Her
DR. CYNTHIA LENTON GARY: “According to the dictionary, freedom is the act of being free or at liberty instead of being in confinement or under physical restraint. In January of 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed what freedom means to him during his State of the Union Address. He said that every American has four basic freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want and freedom from fear. However, in my opinion, Nelson Mandela stated it better. He said, “For to be free is not merely to cast off ones’ chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” Freedom entitles us to quality of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It presents us with opportunities that were non-existent for our ancestors. I can recall being in the fifth grade; my parent, my siblings and I went to visit my uncle in Fort Polk, Louisiana. My sister was a baby at the time, and she needed more milk. We stopped at a store and on the door was a sign that read, “COLOREDS ENTER IN THE BACK”. That sign worried me because in my heart I thought because we were living in America, a country known as the land of the free, the owner of that store should not have been allowed to put that sign up. From that day, I was determined to pursue a field of study that very few African American considered. I received my bachelor’s degree in Chemistry/ Mathematics and worked as a Chemist for many years.
As an African American female, and a citizen of the United States, I was able to receive a quality education that resulted in a bachelors, a masters and a doctorate degree. The lack of confinement and the lack of being restrained by racism and inequality also gave me the opportunity to be the first African American female to service on Missouri City council, the first African American female appointed to Fort Bend Independent School District board of trustees and it gave me the opportunity to service on the board of directors of the Houston Galveston Area Council (H-GAC). I have been blessed with many other opportunities that would not have existed had I not been free. As the mother of sons, I can proudly say that freedom of education and opportunity is why all my sons are college graduates who are working to pursue their dreams to ensure a successful future. I thank GOD for the most important characteristic of our lives and that’s FREEDOM.”
Judge LaShawn A. Williams Shares Her Thoughts on Freedom Means to Her
JUDGE LASHAWN A. WILLIAMS: “I cannot help but think of Freedom in two contexts: one as a free black woman, descendent of slaves; and the other as having freedom of thought and spirit... both essential to who I am and how I live. As a free black woman in what I consider to be the best country in the world, I appreciate what it took to create our system of government, for me to be an elected official now, to love whom I choose, to care for my body as I choose, and to be able to worship the God I serve in the way that I choose. So, I am conscious of protecting all that has been won, lost and yet to be, in the name of freedom in the world. In terms of my freedom of mind and spirit, I try to live my life free from mindsets that restrict or vex my spirit. As we celebrate Independence Day, I do so gratefully and fully appreciating that I am entirely free! We cannot celebrate freedom without Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who said: “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic…Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.” Therefore, we are free to love, fight for justice and pursue “power correcting everything that stands against love,” and I would add freedom.”
Judge Sedrick T. Walker Discusses What Freedom Means to Him
JUDGE SEDRICK WALKER: “At its core, freedom means the ability to speak your mind and live your life as you see fit. However, in our constantly evolving society, the notion of freedom applies in so many different areas. The pursuit of achieving freedom for everyone is a centuries-old battle that continues today. As a criminal court judge, I deal with the issue of freedom in its most literal sense on a day-to-day basis. As we pause to celebrate our freedoms, I believe it’s important that we reflect on the steps our ancestors took to fight for the liberties we currently enjoy.”
Dr. Pretta VanDible Stallworth Discusses What Freedom Means to Her
DR. PRETTA VANDIBLE STALLWORTH: “Freedom is Catharsis – LIBERATION! The greatest challenge in public service is the freedom and courage to stand up for what is just, fair, and right. As public servants we must have freedom and courage to speak on behalf of the people. A good public servant must be the voice of the people, must address the needs of the populace, and must remain steadfast in the work of community relief.
As a public servant I choose to exercise my blood-bought freedom by engaging in catharsis for my community. I choose courage -- to liberate my people. While I’ve chosen to liberate my people, I’ve come to the full realization that my choice comes at a great price. My chosen path makes me a moving target, a political pariah if you will. However, being a moving target does not matter to me. I believe the work of community relief must be done, and I’m committed to doing it. The needs of the populace must be addressed, and I’m making it my mission to address them.
Choosing the path of public service requires freedom and courage. Freedom and courage bring about catharsis (the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong repressed emotions) in my opinion. Catharsis is necessary for the education of the community. Education leads to the liberation of the minds of the people.”
Judge Linda Dunson Discusses What Freedom Means to Her
JUDGE LINDA DUNSON: “Freedom means being truly unshackled. Unshackled so that my mind can dream dreams; Unshackled so that opportunity is an open door; Unshackled so that I can embrace humanity in all of its gore; Unshackled so that I am seen instead of looked at; Unshackled so that I am not one of a few; Unshackled so that I can love freely; Unshackled so that I may serve my God without offending; Unshackled so that wealth, health and justice are not kept from me; Unshackled so that "all men are created equal" is a truth instead of an ideal; Unshackled so that the chains are forever shattered to the point that I don't ever even remember being shackled…That's FREEDOM.”
Dr. Rhonda Skillern Jones Discusses What Freedom Means to Her
HCC TRUSTEE RHONDA SKILLERN JONES: “Freedom is POWER. It is a state of mind and body, an individual's mental and physical power to act, speak and think without hindrance, restraint or control. It is our right as Americans granted by the Constitution and protected by our brave sisters and brothers in the military. Freedom means every person regardless of their beliefs, affiliations, physical presentation, affinities and or life station can and must have full self-governing authority over their life and life choices. It is the ability to define ourselves and live in our truth unabashedly and without conforming to prescribed constraints. The goal of freedom is independence and the key is education. America must ensure it lives up to its promise of freedom by ensuring each and every person is afforded the opportunity to exist independently on their own terms and provided the education to do so. My freedom comes from the confidence my parents instilled in me to be unafraid to live my life bold and unafraid. My mother set an example of what it is to exercise your freedom as a black woman in this country. My father raised me with the fortitude to stand up to infractions against my rights. They never stopped reinforcing that education in this country makes the difference in one's ability to experience freedom in its purest form. I live in those principles and pass them down to my own children and those around me. If freedom is to be realized, it must be actively exercised.”
Kathy Blueford Daniels Discusses What Freedom Means to Her
KATHY BLUEFORD DANIELS: “Freedom means not being imprisoned or enslaved -- mentally or physically. To believe that blacks, browns, and LGBTQ+ people receive equality. That everyone is able to achieve prosperity and greatness without hindrance or judgment from others. Freedom means assurance that our black and brown children are provided equal educational opportunities as children attending suburban schools. Freedom means our legal system and the religious beliefs of others does not “continue” to the minimize Constitutional Rights of those based on skin color or economic status. Freedom also means picking up the baton from those who bled and died for future generational opportunities. As a Gold Star aunt, I know freedom is not FREE!”
Community Leader Travis McGee Discusses What Freedom Means
COMMUNITY ACTIVIST TRAVIS MCGEE: “Freedom means a lot of things to a lot of different people, but freedom should mean the same for all people. When I think of freedom I think of affordable housing, livable wages -- innocent until proven guilty. I think of fair, quality, equitable education with options of affordable higher education. I think of a better quality of life for every man, woman, and child regardless of their race, color, or creed without the fear of deportation. Freedom is transparent leadership for “We the People” vs. “Sellout” or dictatorship for everything, but “We the People.” Freedom is the right to be afforded a fair trial in a court of law regardless of one’s economic, geographic or demographic status. Freedom is representation equal to taxation. Freedom is a world without racism, classism or anything else that discriminates and/or causes division among us. Freedom is a judicial system that is for all people vs. continuous injustice for “just us”. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor it must be demanded by the oppressed.”
Councilman Mike Knox Discusses What Freedom Means to Him
“Give me LIBERTY or Give me Death!” These words are attributed to Patrick Henry from a speech he made to the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775. What was he talking about? Are these words relevant today?
The words Freedom and Liberty are often used interchangeably in conversation, and I will use them interchangeably in this article. Realistically they amount to the same thing. Both mean, in the broadest of terms, the absence of hindrance, restraint, confinement, or repression. Both Liberty and Freedom mean you can do whatever you want to do. Did Patrick Henry mean that Americans should be completely without restraint – I don’t think so.
Our Founding Fathers were avid readers of philosophy, logic, and apologetics. They studied Socrates, Aristotle, John Locke, and of course, the Bible. Many were in the habit of discussing serious issues like Freedom and Liberty as a source of evening entertainment. They came to understand that Freedom and Liberty meant individuals were free to do as they pleased provided; they did not hinder another person’s Freedom or Liberty. To put it in modern language, “your freedom to swing your arm ends where my nose begins.”
These founders of our country recognized that government authority (laws) inevitably leads to the tyranny of the people and places humans in an unnatural state of servitude to the will of the ruling class. They set about inventing a new form of government — not a Democracy, but rather a Republic.
Our founders understood that Democracy was flawed because it depended on the rule of the masses or majority rule. They understood the majority would always favor the larger group over the individual. A Republic, on the other hand, is based on the rule of law designed to protect the freedoms of the individual over the will of the majority. Unless, of course, the Republic was taken over by a despot, tyrant, or king. Their solution was brilliant. A democratically elected governing body, which could be managed by the majority, confined by the law enacted by the people through their elected representatives. The purpose of the whole exercise was to free the individual to have the liberty to pursue their definition of happiness through the exercise of individual free will.
We have all been engaged in this grand experiment for well over two hundred years, and we have not perfected it yet. Some would argue we have steadily yielded our Liberty to gain safety and security, that we are stifling free speech with political correctness and are losing the ability, as a nation, to disagree without being disagreeable. It seems our schools have stopped teaching the classics in favor of the convenient. Perhaps all this is true. However, I like to think these struggles are not new to the United States and that Liberty and Freedom will ultimately prevail.
Freedom and Liberty are, to me, the light at the end of the tunnel. The goal to which we must constantly struggle to achieve.
Americans have died in places near and far attempting to obtain this “Holy Grail” we call Freedom. From the first person killed in the Boston Massacre, Crispus Attucks, to the next person who gives their full measure of devotion in service to this nation and all who have sacrificed in past conflicts so we can continue to seek Freedom, Americans would rather have Liberty than life itself. So, it would appear to me, Patrick Henry’s words in 1775 are as true today as they were then.
I, for one, agree. Give me Liberty or Give me Death!”