Inherited Freedom by Devin

Inherited Freedom by Devin - January 2024 Scholarship Essay

Living in what was the Soviet Union, there was no religious freedom and little freedom at all. My grandfather, after having served two years (1982-84) in a forced labor camp for distributing Bibles, decided to move his family to a place where no man would have to suffer for what he believes and where one could be free to express himself.
What makes the United States of America special? What allows us to claim to be the leaders of the free world? One thing that we have all been reminded of in these past few, tumultuous years is that freedom, despite it being natural to strive towards, is not our default state. Freedom must be fought for and defended. Freedom OUGHT to be fought for and defended. But… why?
Freedom will cost blood, toil, sweat, and tears. Is it worth the struggle, the toil, and most of all, the loss? Is freedom worth the millions of young men and women sent away to far-off lands to fight, defending the freedom of the next generation–a generation that so often shows no gratitude? Is freedom worth the men and women who come home from their service with injuries, both mental and physical, from which many will never recover; or, worse yet, is freedom worth them never coming home at all…never saying goodbye to their loved ones? Is it worth it?
This is what makes the nation I have had the pleasure to be born into so incredibly special. Our Founding Fathers decided that freedom was worth fighting for. The great question remains, however: why? Why is it worth it?
My greatest mentor, a former Sunday school teacher of mine, served in the Navy in Korea, and my paternal grandfather served in the Air Force during Vietnam. They both chose to fight for something bigger than themselves. They fought, not only for America but for what this great nation represents.
Above all, our nation represents a certain freedom—not the freedom to do whatever we want, but the greater freedom to do what ought to be done. I am a beneficiary of this. I inherited this freedom through no work of my own. My maternal grandfather brought his family to this nation in hopes of attaining the very freedoms we often take for granted.
America is not worth fighting for because of any selfish reason. It is those that fight selfishly that are forgotten; but it is those who are willing to give everything, defending what they truly believe in, that are worthy of being remembered. That, however, is my greatest shame as an American: we often do not remember our veterans.
Since 2001 more than one hundred and twenty thousand American veterans have fallen victim to suicide… This is what I have chosen to dedicate my future toward preventing. I hope to create a nonprofit organization for veteran care and suicide prevention. Our veterans dedicated their lives to protect us and our freedom so we should dedicate ourselves to protecting their lives. They, more than anyone else, have earned their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our veterans ought never to be forgotten. This ought to be how we use our freedom. This is what I ought to do with what I’ve inherited.