A lthough a bit hampered by the sweltering heat of this week’s heat wave, some Hudson residents took time out of their busy day to talk with the Hudson Reporter about Independence Day and the concept of freedom. Of all the liberties to which Americans are entitled through the Constitution, the right to be oneself and to do as one pleases is what Hudsonites from North Hudson Park to Exchange Place said they were most thankful for.
"The most important type of freedom is freedom of the spirit and of the mind. [I am free] not only because I live in the United States but also because I try to think independently. I express my freedom by setting my own standards and forming my opinions without social pressure." – Jasmin De La Torre with daughter Jesse Lee Angeles, Union City
"Freedom for me means being able to take for granted what I’m doing right now, which is walking my dog, Francesca. Being able to do what I want, be where I want, and be what I want. It lets me take for granted the safety that’s provided for me. Being able to do even the small routines in daily life epitomizes what freedom means to me." – John Greene, North Bergen
"[Freedom is] to be able to do what you want when you want to. My boyfriend was a political prisoner in Cuba for 10 years, and knowing about his experience just makes me see how lucky we are to live in this country and how much we take our freedom for granted." – Susan Puccio, Weehawken
"As human beings, we generalize people and put them in categories. We have a lot of prejudice and racism, and freedom lets you let go of that. It gives you liberty of expression. Freedom is to be able to do whatever you possibly want, as long as it’s legal." – Juan Vasquez, North Bergen
"[Freedom is] expressing your opinions and people respecting your space. When I was growing up in Poland, you couldn’t speak your mind. This is a great country, and if you’re willing to make something of it, this is it." – Ania Stesik, West New York
"Freedom to me means a lot of soldiers have sacrificed their lives and everyone should enjoy what they have. It’s not something every country has and it shouldn’t be taken for granted." – Rich Morejon, West New York
"Freedom is being able to smoke indoors." – Sarah Shields, Jersey City
"Freedom is the way to respect people’s rights. A way people can think differently about what’s happening around them while still respecting other people’s ideas." – Kennedy Ng, Union City
"[Freedom is] to be able to say and live and go where I want without fear of someone trying to prevent me from doing those things. Being able to love who I want to, to set goals and be able to achieve them without anyone preventing me from doing so." – Mario Veras, Weehawken
"Freedom means the right to choose, the right to define myself and the right to create a life not predicated on the limits set by society." – Imani Evans, Jersey City
"Freedom, to me, means expression of self… the expression of feelings and ideas. And also to have opportunities. That’s freedom for me." – Barbara Diaz-Castro, Hoboken
"Freedom is just being able to express myself and not be judged by it. It lets me speak my mind and gives me my right to vote." – Tanisha Sharma, Guttenberg
"I guess I associate freedom with having a large degree of say in government, such as how much you pay in taxes and how that money is spent. [It’s also the ability] to choose what happens to my own body and mind and to be able to voice my opinion without fear of censorship. My freedom is bounded by what’s good for society and what’s good for the individual. It’s almost like you should have a dialectic [process] to determine those boundaries, which need to be loose and fluctuating." – Valerie Sessa, Hoboken