The Statue of Liberty, a gift of the people of France to the United States, was first proposed in 1865 by Édouard René de Laboulaye, president of the French Anti-Slavery Society. Dedicated on Oct. 28, 1886, Lady Liberty was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, and Gustave Eiffel built its metal framework.
The statue represents Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty.
At her feet lies a broken chain and shackle, a symbol of the abolition of slavery in America.
Holocaust survivor, psychiatrist, and neurologist Dr. Victor Frankl, who passed away in 1997, wrote the best-seller “Man’s Search for Meaning.”
The book, written in 1946, follows his life as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War II.
In the text, Frankl says, “Freedom, however, is not the last word. Freedom is only part of the story and half of the truth. Freedom is but the negative aspect of the whole phenomenon, whose positive aspect is responsibleness. In fact, freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness. That is why I recommend that the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast.”
As stated in the Declaration of Independence, we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our founding fathers added ten amendments to our Constitution, which we call the Bill of Rights.
The First Amendment lists the right to freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and the right to petition. The second amendment is the right to bear arms.
With each of the above-mentioned rights comes a responsibility.
The right to assemble gives anyone the right to protest. With that comes the responsibility to keep the protest peaceful, not interfere with another’s rights. Those protesting Israel’s war with Hamas ignore this. That is why they should be arrested and punished.
With the right to a free press comes the responsibility to be a watchdog reporting on government wrongdoing and to present the truth to the public.
Our freedom of speech includes a responsibility to listen to others with dissenting views.
Every person has a right to life, but we all have a responsibility not to take another’s life.
The Pew Research Center says 91 percent of Americans believe it’s the responsibility of citizenship to vote in elections. Other responsibilities above 90 percent are paying your taxes and following the law.
According to U.S. Immigration, citizenship responsibilities also include supporting and defending the Constitution, staying informed, respecting the rights and beliefs of others, serving on a jury, and defending the country if the need should arise.
I believe that every able-bodied citizen also has the responsibility to contribute to society with their labor so as not to burden the rest of society. I’m sure you can think of more.
In America today everyone seems to be obsessed with their rights. Too many ignore their responsibilities. Tomorrow, on July 4, we celebrate our freedom. Freedom comes when we combine our liberty and take responsibility.
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Frankl’s dream is closer to becoming a reality. In the 1990s, Stephen Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” teamed up with Kevin Hall to breathe life into Frankl’s idea. They commissioned sculptor Gary Lee Price to design a statue. His concept is of two hands clasped together, one lifting the other, symbolizing the need for people to help each other.
The first choice for the location was a Pacific Ocean harbor along the California coastline. Too much red tape in the Golden Bear State put a stop to that. The governor of the great state of Utah, Spencer Cox, endorsed the project and offered a site for it in his state.
The companion monument to the State of Liberty will be 305 feet high, constructed of aluminum, and feature a multi-colored stained glass design with an observation deck at the top.
A foundation with no money from taxpayers is raising the estimated cost of around $300 million.
If you would like to donate or find out more visit www.statueofresponsibility.org.
