If your son will be less free than your father then who's fault is that?

[ThomWV]

My father fought and was dam near killed in the Second world war to defend rights my son will never know. Who's fault can that be other than mine?

[CBHagman]

1. My father also served in World War II...

...and while I am grateful to him and all the others, civilian and military, who sacrificed to bring the world beyond those horrific years, I don't pretend that in the years that followed my father's return, the U.S. offered rights on the level that most of us can claim today. Segregation, censorship, McCarthyism, sexism -- you name it, we hadn't dealt with it just yet.

Sometimes the human race does progress, and it takes long, hard work. Reformers of all stripes have worked and continue to work to make a better world.

Please don't give up.

[GodlessBiker]

2. Each generation must fight for its own freedom.

[Echo In Light]

7. And in each individual's own, unique ways, too. Many different points of entry.

[GodlessBiker]

8. Indeed.

[sandnsea]

3. Japanese Americans would disagree

Citizens lost many freedoms during WWII. If they had insisted on them, like knowing every detail of every war operation, maybe the outcome would be quite different.

[madokie]

4. My grand dad

fought in the civil war so you can imagine the changes in our freedoms from then to now, some good some bad.

[Winterblues]

5. While your father may have been free many other Americans were not

Blacks still rode at the back of the bus and were not allowed in many establishments, women lived under a glass ceiling that still somewhat exists today. College students could not even wear the clothes they wanted not wear their hair how they liked... I think if you really think about it a bit all Americans were no where near as "free" as today..

[Fumesucker]

13. Eh.. But the incarceration rate at that time was about 1/5 of what it is today..

Up until 1970 or so America's incarceration rate was very similar to that of the rest of the Western democracies, today it is the highest in the world.

[Lilith Velkor]

6. My father was fucking DRAFTED

By the time my nephews come of age, it's entirely possible they'll bring it back.

Good thing my nephews live in France.

[garybeck]

9. Uh, what about our daughters? n/t

[omega minimo]

11. They'll get blamed, somehow.

:think:

[Romulox]

10. Exactly why I refuse to reproduce--our society is garbage. nt

[me b zola]

12. My father fought in WWII

...As brave and heroic as my father was, I don't credit the freedoms that I grew up with to his service overseas. I generally give credit to those who constantly fought domestically for our freedoms. From those who fought long and hard for labor laws & unions, those who fought for women's rights, those who fought against McCarthyism, and the list goes on.