Thursday, November 27, 2008



Freedom from Want by Norman Rockwell.
Cover of the Saturday Evening Post 1943.

In 1943, with the United States in the throes of World War II,
Norman Rockwell painted a series of paintings
called the Four Freedoms.
These paintings were inspired by the
Annual Message to the Congress, January 6, 1941
given by Franklin Delano Roosevelt.


"In the future days which we seek to make secure,
we look forward to a world founded
upon four essential human freedoms.

The first is freedom of speech and expression--
everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person
to worship God in his own way --
everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want, which,
translated into world terms,
means economic understandings which will secure
to every nation
a healthy peace time life for its inhabitants--
everywhere in the world.


The fourth is freedom from fear, which,
translated into world terms,
means a world-wide reduction
of armaments to such a point
and in such a thorough fashion
that no nation will be in a position
to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor --
anywhere in the world.

As meaningful today as it was 67 years ago.
Pray for peace--
everywhere in the world.

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