Dear Editor:

As an American citizen who has given both financial support and personal service to my country, I believe there are certain things I should get in return.

Let’s start with the “Four Freedoms.”

In Stockbridge, Massachusetts, the Norman Rockwell museum has a set of four paintings entitled “The Four Freedoms” that were inspired by a speech given by FDR in 1941. I think they still resonate today.

The first is Freedom of Worship. I take that to mean that all faiths are not only tolerated, but respected and encouraged to believe. I should not force my views on you and vice versa.

The second is Freedom from Want. Right now, about 13.6 American are unemployed. Also consider the 18 million or so that are underemployed, then add to that (as of 2019 estimates) 34 million Americans living in poverty. That’s about 65.5 million Americans living under some sort of financial misery. This is unacceptable, no matter how you spin it.

The third freedom is Freedom of Speech, as defined today by our government and their reaction to protest groups around the country. But regardless how these protests are painted, the protesters are neither anarchists nor are they guilty of sedition.

The last is the Freedom from Fear. We have a right to be free of endless fear-mongering, finger pointing and poor governance. More than 200,000 people are dead, the west coast is in embers, military-grade weaponry has been given to our police departments and our president insists that the only way he can lose the election is because he was cheated. Where did we go wrong?

Here’s another quote from that 1941 speech; “No realistic American can expect from a dictator’s peace international generosity, or return of true independence, or world disarmament, or freedom of expression, or freedom of religion -- or even good business. Such a peace would bring no security for us or for our neighbors. Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Michael Feldmann

East Boothbay