THOUGHTS ON LIBERTY AND FREEDOM IN AMERICA


Kensaku Yamazaki
Thoughts on Liberty and Freedom in America

The United States of America is considered the country that respects the liberty of people. People respect each other's individualism and accept many different ideas, cultures, and people. I think the idea of liberty and freedom American people have is more developed than them Japanese people have. The most impressive and surprising thing I experienced in the U.S. related to liberty and freedom is the different criteria for drunk driving between Japan and the U.S. While in Japan people are never allowed to drive a car if they drink even a cup of alcohol. In the United State, people are allowed to drive unless their blood alcohol level exceed limit number each state set. I think American people take more responsibility than Japanese people take in daily life instead of more freedom. In the U.S, people are allowed to drink some alcohol before they drive. However, it is their responsibility to think, by themselves, about how much alcohol will prevent them from driving safely. I think the punishment for drunk driving is harsher in the U.S. than Japan. Besides this difference in drunk driving, I can see several things that show this developed idea about liberty and responsibility American people have in daily life. I really respect the idea of liberty and responsibility in the United State of America and I think Japan should follow the U.S. in this part.